What makes the Aft balcony cabins so special.

[hillbilly cruiser]

Had one and didn't care for it. As stated:

Pros

Larger

Quite

 

Cons

Hot

Long way from most activities.

I like to look forward and aft, only aft unless a wrap.

 

[thesmiths]

4 hours ago, Anyislandwilldo said:

So this would be a good choice for an Alaskan cruise because the sun would heat the balcony and no breeze.  Correct?

 

I would think so (and hope so for my wife) based on weather conditions.

 

I am waiting for Alaska , May 2021 to open and will book an aft wrap , but mostly for the views.

Anything under 80 and my wife will be out there in her parka and blanket 🙂

 

 

 

Edited August 20, 2019 by thesmiths

[cdm289]

19 hours ago, Butterbean1000 said:

Can your wrap balcony be seen from the deck above?

We typically get the aft that is right under the Lido (deck 8 or 9 depending on the ship).  These cannot be seen from above as they have an overhang.  I prefer these balconies because we prefer shade (not a sun person).  Yes, I can see into the balconies of all below us.  They certainly are not private balconies as the older ships (Breeze, Dream, Splendor at least), the dividers between are angled so you can see your neighbours.  

 

Aft is always our preference as we love the lounge chair and the reduction in wind.  Earlier someone mentioned the aft wrap.  The ships were were on, these rooms didn't have a couch.  If you like sitting on a couch in your cabin versus on the bed, these may not be for you.  We like a couch and for that reason, we haven't booked in these rooms.  

 

We just booked on the Panorama but didn't book an aft 😞.  All of the aft cabins there are part of the Havana club.  We didn't figure we would use it and didn't think the extra few hundred was worth it.  It will be the first side balcony we have had in 4 years.  I am hoping we still enjoy.  What am I saying???  I am on a cruise and am sure it will be enjoyable.  

[Butterbean1000]

We always book on Panorama.  We like being high and forward.  I hope you'll like it. Enjoy your cruise!

[pooksma]

Never had the pleasure of an aft wrap but have stayed in aft balconies. Usually deck 7 or 8. For us, its that little bit of extra space (particularly if our son is with us) and the amazing view. I love watching the wake, having the 180 degree view and taking my morning coffee/pre dinner drink out there. So quiet. The distance from other parts of the ship has never bothered us but I understand how it might for some.

 

Enjoy!

[ParrotRob]

On 8/20/2019 at 8:15 AM, Anyislandwilldo said:

So this would be a good choice for an Alaskan cruise because the sun would heat the balcony and no breeze.  Correct?

 

 

Not to mention the 270 degree view which is perfect when cruising through the fjords.

 

[ParrotRob]

On 8/20/2019 at 2:20 PM, cdm289 said:

We typically get the aft that is right under the Lido (deck 8 or 9 depending on the ship).  These cannot be seen from above as they have an overhang.  I prefer these balconies because we prefer shade (not a sun person).  Yes, I can see into the balconies of all below us.  They certainly are not private balconies as the older ships (Breeze, Dream, Splendor at least), the dividers between are angled so you can see your neighbours.  

 

Aft is always our preference as we love the lounge chair and the reduction in wind.  Earlier someone mentioned the aft wrap.  The ships were were on, these rooms didn't have a couch.  If you like sitting on a couch in your cabin versus on the bed, these may not be for you.  We like a couch and for that reason, we haven't booked in these rooms.  

 

We just booked on the Panorama but didn't book an aft 😞.  All of the aft cabins there are part of the Havana club.  We didn't figure we would use it and didn't think the extra few hundred was worth it.  It will be the first side balcony we have had in 4 years.  I am hoping we still enjoy.  What am I saying???  I am on a cruise and am sure it will be enjoyable.  

 

The aft wraparound on the Spirit class ships on deck 8 are directly below the Lido deck, Serenity area.  And they most definitely CAN be seen from the deck above unless you are against the wall in the first 3-4 feet.  Closer to the rail and you can easily see and converse with the people up on Serenity with no problem.

 

[ParrotRob]

This is 8273 on Legend.  The lounger facing starboard can not be seen from Lido above.  The railing area most definitely can.

 

Edited August 28, 2019 by ParrotRob

[thesmiths]

11 hours ago, ParrotRob said:

This is 8273 on Legend.  The lounger facing starboard can not be seen from Lido above.  The railing area most definitely can.

 

I am so booking this cabin.

[ParrotRob]

7 hours ago, thesmiths said:

I am so booking this cabin.

 

You'll love it if you're going to Alaska.

 

[Sophia67]

I cruise in 9 days, and it will be my 4th aft facing balcony.  The view is amazing, and yes, there is less foot traffic.  Additionally, the balconies are usually bigger (deeper) than balconies on the sides of the ship.  There is more room to sit and lounge.  We had an aft balcony in the Havana area on Vista last year.  The balcony was HUGE.  We stacked the deck furniture up and had at least 15 people comfortably out there for sail-away.

[Chervil]

We usually get a balcony close to the front of the ship (preferably port side).

This upcoming cruise, we decided to book a balcony closer to the back, since it would be less walking to the MDR, Tea Time, etc. (I have a leg surgery a month before, so less walking involved).

We aren't on the aft of the ship, but about as far back as you can be before the wrap. 

I have heard that there is less motion at the back and quieter as well.
We are on the 7th deck, so looking forward to seeing how it compares with being up by the front of the ship (we are usually able to look right up into the bridge from our balcony).

 

 

[LaRue1975]

On 8/28/2019 at 4:09 PM, ParrotRob said:

This is 8273 on Legend.  The lounger facing starboard can not be seen from Lido above.  The railing area most definitely can.

 

This is the cabin we had on the Spirit doing the inside passage northbound in 2008, too bad they only do roundtrips now, cruising the Inside passage was amazing! If you can swing an aft wrap it is absolutely perfect for Alaska, the Spirit class ship aft wraps are all suites, best cabins we have ever sailed in. Our friends had the aft wrap on the other side of deck 8 so we could move quickly from one balcony to the other when the naturalist on board spotted wildlife. It truly was our best vacation so far! 

 

We also did the Caribbean in an aft wrap on the Miracle but as mentioned by others the balcony was too hot except early morning and evening so I won’t book an aft balcony again for the Caribbean. 

 

To the OP, I just booked a Havana Aft Wrap, deck 6 on the Panorama, we don’t sail until April 2021 for our 45th Anniversary. I think LA to the  Mexican Riviera will be much more comfortable on the balcony than the Caribbean and the Havana pool is only steps away so it should be amazing! Have a great cruise! 

 

 

 

 

[dave_k58]

I think some of the after wraps are strangely shaped, and don't have sofas. At least that is what I remember from the Conquest. 

[geoffrywillhardt]

 My wife gets motion sickness so we try to stick to the middle of the ship. For no real reason we booked our first cabin on the starboard side of the ship. From then on we always book on the starboard side. So for us Starboard midship and as high as we can afford to be close to the lido deck where most of the action is. (We have a 5yr old so the action is the pools and water slides lol.) 

[thesmiths]

6 hours ago, dave_k58 said:

I think some of the after wraps are strangely shaped, and don't have sofas. At least that is what I remember from the Conquest. 

Correct.

Just my wife and I we don't need the couch..We don't mind.

If I am sitting it is usually out on the balcony.

 

[ParrotRob]

10 hours ago, Chervil said:

We usually get a balcony close to the front of the ship (preferably port side).

This upcoming cruise, we decided to book a balcony closer to the back, since it would be less walking to the MDR, Tea Time, etc. (I have a leg surgery a month before, so less walking involved).

We aren't on the aft of the ship, but about as far back as you can be before the wrap. 

I have heard that there is less motion at the back and quieter as well.
We are on the 7th deck, so looking forward to seeing how it compares with being up by the front of the ship (we are usually able to look right up into the bridge from our balcony).

 

 

You can forget all about the "less motion and quieter", at least on Legend.  Our cabin did suffer from a lot of vibration that at times got quite noisy.  One of the interior doors between the living room and bedroom rattled constantly if it was closed until we figured it that a washcloth closed into the door muffled the vibration.

During my Behind the Fun tour, the chief engineer acknowledged that the Spirit class ships all suffer from that vibration.

 

[Chervil]

29 minutes ago, ParrotRob said:

You can forget all about the "less motion and quieter", at least on Legend.  Our cabin did suffer from a lot of vibration that at times got quite noisy.  One of the interior doors between the living room and bedroom rattled constantly if it was closed until we figured it that a washcloth closed into the door muffled the vibration.

During my Behind the Fun tour, the chief engineer acknowledged that the Spirit class ships all suffer from that vibration.

 

Good to know!

So far we have only sailed the Dream, the Breeze and the Vista.

Breeze is our favorite, but we are taking our second cruise on the Vista in October. Hopefully the Vista class isn't so noisy.

[mexicobob]

On 8/20/2019 at 11:35 AM, thesmiths said:

I would think so (and hope so for my wife) based on weather conditions.

 

I am waiting for Alaska , May 2021 to open and will book an aft wrap , but mostly for the views.

Anything under 80 and my wife will be out there in her parka and blanket 🙂

 

 

 

Book early as aft-wraps in Alaska go quick. Highly recommend them.