Giantfan13 Posted December 5, 2020 #1 Share Posted December 5, 2020 We are looking to book a cruise in 2022 that offers an inside cabin with a virtual balcony. We have heard of them, but never actually experienced them. I understand the process, but is it really a waste of time and money, or just stick with a 'real' inside cabin? Cheers Len Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robtulipe Posted December 5, 2020 #2 Share Posted December 5, 2020 (edited) We had one of these cabins on Anthem as we booked late and didn't want to pay the high cost of a balcony cabin as there were very few available when we booked. A balcony was what we had on our other four cruises on this ship. We enjoyed having it and there was a decent virtual view over the bow which was from a bridge mounted camera. I noticed this camera during our bridge tour and one of the officers confirm it was for that function. Below are shots of one of these on Anthem from a cabin tour we did on another sailing so is not of the actual view and cabin we had. As you can see this cabin had a rearward view showing the ship's wake. Edited December 5, 2020 by robtulipe 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare twangster Posted December 5, 2020 #3 Share Posted December 5, 2020 All things being equal a VB cabin is better than a plain interior. I wouldn't pay a lot more for it, but if its a few bucks more than why not? Different ships have different views. Some look aft, some to the side and some forward. You don't get to pick, it is what it is. There will be an extra remote in the room so you can black out the screen. On some of the ships that have had them for a while I've had some flaky results with the video flickering or the virtual railing coming and going intermittently. It was ship wide, not just my display. They've been more stable on newer ships. It's basically an 80" flat panel on its end. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spookwife Posted December 5, 2020 #4 Share Posted December 5, 2020 It’s a giant window sized flat screen TV. Me, personally, wasn’t a fan. You lose seating or storage, or both. It still looked fake, no breeze, and the lighting was ‘off’..not true natural sunlight. if you only sail interior, and it’s not more than $5 a day to upgrade to VB, it’s probably worth it once for the novelty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare allisonb22 Posted December 5, 2020 #5 Share Posted December 5, 2020 we really enjoyed ours! not sure we would pay much extra for it, but it was cool to have. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
firefly333 Posted December 5, 2020 #6 Share Posted December 5, 2020 6 minutes ago, allisonb22 said: we really enjoyed ours! not sure we would pay much extra for it, but it was cool to have. What is the difference between those and the tv channel that shows the outside, other than it looks like a balcony you are looking thru? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George C Posted December 5, 2020 #7 Share Posted December 5, 2020 We saw one on a cabin crawl when they first came out , definitely think it’s better than a plain inside cabin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare twangster Posted December 5, 2020 #8 Share Posted December 5, 2020 (edited) Navigator At night: Explorer Anthem Edited December 5, 2020 by twangster 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Merion_Mom Posted December 5, 2020 #9 Share Posted December 5, 2020 It's still an interior. If you like/don't mind an interior, you will like/won't mind an interior with virtual balcony. I tried it once because it was cheap. (no, wait, twice) I have no intention of ever booking an interior cabin again, with or without a big picture on the wall. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare allisonb22 Posted December 5, 2020 #10 Share Posted December 5, 2020 6 minutes ago, firefly333 said: What is the difference between those and the tv channel that shows the outside, other than it looks like a balcony you are looking thru? Just the size and placement. Its a large screen on the wall so more of a balcony "feeling" than just on the tv. I think the views may be different between the tv channel and the virtual balcony but i may be wrong on that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ourusualbeach Posted December 5, 2020 #11 Share Posted December 5, 2020 We’ve stayed in insides before and if it came down to a couch vs the virtual balcony I’d choose the couch. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ocean Boy Posted December 5, 2020 #12 Share Posted December 5, 2020 39 minutes ago, Merion_Mom said: It's still an interior. If you like/don't mind an interior, you will like/won't mind an interior with virtual balcony. I tried it once because it was cheap. (no, wait, twice) I have no intention of ever booking an interior cabin again, with or without a big picture on the wall. I book an interior once because of price and got upgraded. I rolled the dice a second time with no upgrade. I never booked an interior again. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IRMO12HD Posted December 5, 2020 #13 Share Posted December 5, 2020 4 hours ago, Giantfan13 said: We are looking to book a cruise in 2022 that offers an inside cabin with a virtual balcony. We have heard of them, but never actually experienced them. I understand the process, but is it really a waste of time and money, or just stick with a 'real' inside cabin? Cheers Len Thanks for posing the question, @Giantfan13, and thanks to all the people who answered. I found @twangster's pictures a great addition to my understanding of what the VB inside cabins might look like. We'll be in one on Ovation in April 2022. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkaterJasp Posted December 20, 2020 #14 Share Posted December 20, 2020 (edited) If you get a virtual balcony all the way aft on a Quantum class ship where the virtual balcony is mounted on the back wall (narrower wall), you’ll have a full couch. Some have the couch by the Virtual Balcony while others have the bed by the virtual balcony. Plus they look like they belong there whereas the ones mounted on the side wall looks awkwardly placed. Edited December 20, 2020 by SkaterJasp 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iamcruzin Posted December 20, 2020 #15 Share Posted December 20, 2020 I only booked an interior room once since 1986. Everything else was at least an obstructed ocean view. The reason we booked the interior was because it was a last minute cheap cruise and it was less expensive to book two interior rooms for 4 people ( two high school age kids) than one oceanview or balcony for 4 people. We managed and given the situation it was better in terms of space but I wouldn't book one for just me and DW now. Judging from the pictures I don't think the virtual balcony would make a difference. Now after what happened with Covid, if I can't afford a balcony I won't cruise. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkaterJasp Posted December 21, 2020 #16 Share Posted December 21, 2020 1 hour ago, Iamcruzin said: Now after what happened with Covid, if I can't afford a balcony I won't cruise. Agree... after what happened on that Princess Ship in Japan and other ships after that had to quarantine... all my newly booked cruises are Balconies or Jr Suites. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare island lady Posted December 21, 2020 #17 Share Posted December 21, 2020 Reminds of the kids/young adults with their noses in their I pads/phones/tablets, unaware of the real world. 😉 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lenquixote66 Posted December 21, 2020 #18 Share Posted December 21, 2020 On 12/5/2020 at 2:41 PM, spookwife said: It’s a giant window sized flat screen TV. Me, personally, wasn’t a fan. You lose seating or storage, or both. It still looked fake, no breeze, and the lighting was ‘off’..not true natural sunlight. if you only sail interior, and it’s not more than $5 a day to upgrade to VB, it’s probably worth it once for the novelty We were on the Anthem last December and saw one of these cabins on a Cabin Crawl.One of the people said they like to feel a breeze and the person who had the cabin brought out a portable battery operate fan and turned it on.We all laughed. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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