Which Cabin And Price Point Gives You The Most Value?

[DANCING GRANDMOMMY]

So individual. My son loves the inside, because he loves to sleep during the day and it is so very dark. I am claustrophobic so an inside is out for me.  On some ships the ocean views are larger cabins and if the weather is during a cooler season we will op for the added space and a window, (like our Dec cruise on the Panorama) The aft with the larger balcony the beautiful wake is nice, but I understand their can be more movement and vibration so I have avoided those. Our 2023 cruise is a Cabana on the Panorama, but I understand that the amenities on the Mardi Gras are extremely reduced, with less space and 20 some more cabins using it.

[ray98]

Inside.  I do enjoy a balcony but at the end of every cruise I always feel we did not spend enough time there to justify the substantial fare increase.

 

We all get the same experience from inside to balcony, I would rather take those several hundred dollars and use them elsewhere on our activates which is where the memories are made.

[RWolver672]

On 3/7/2021 at 5:41 AM, RWolver672 said:

.  As far as the aft balcony, we want to see where we're going, not where we'be been.  🤣

 

18 hours ago, zdcatc12 said:

Yeah, but you only see one side of where you're going!!!

 

Seeing one side is better than not seeing anything but water if we were in an aft cabin.

[Roger88]

4 hours ago, ray98 said:

Inside.  I do enjoy a balcony but at the end of every cruise I always feel we did not spend enough time there to justify the substantial fare increase.

 

We all get the same experience from inside to balcony, I would rather take those several hundred dollars and use them elsewhere on our activates which is where the memories are made.

Balconies is like one of those major things that I consider when choosing a cabin. I mean, an ability to breath some fresh air, relax with a cocktail or a laptop sitting on balcony drinking a cup of coffee enjoying magnificent views - ONLY BALCONY can provide that level of privacy and enjoyment

[asalligo]

On 3/6/2021 at 9:14 PM, SNJCruisers said:

You have a choice of either an inside cabin @ 1,400.00, a balcony cabin side view @ 2,000.00 or a balcony cabin aft view @ 2225.00?  This would all be for a 7 night cruise on the Mardi Gras.  Which of the 3 would you choose, and why?

After the Triumph and now Covid, I doubt I will ever again book an inside room. I am torn on the Aft Balcony, I love the view, but I hate the lack of shade and location and possible soot on some ships, so it depends on the ship. Hard to not take the aft at that price difference though. 

[SNJCruisers]

4 hours ago, RWolver672 said:

Seeing one side is better than not seeing anything but water if we were in an aft cabin.

My original three choices were from the Mardi Gras.  If you are in an aft view cabin, besides the wake of the ship, you also get the view of the summer landing aft section and pool on deck 8.

[gtalum]

1 hour ago, asalligo said:

After the Triumph and now Covid, I doubt I will ever again book an inside room. I am torn on the Aft Balcony, I love the view, but I hate the lack of shade and location and possible soot on some ships, so it depends on the ship. Hard to not take the aft at that price difference though. 

 

Even pre-COVID, we always sailed with balconies.  It's nice to have a private outdoor space for those moments when you just don't want to deal with a crowd...

 

Now with the potential of a COVID quarantine I can't imagine not having that space to help ward off cabin fever.

[asalligo]

19 minutes ago, gtalum said:

 

Even pre-COVID, we always sailed with balconies.  It's nice to have a private outdoor space for those moments when you just don't want to deal with a crowd...

 

Now with the potential of a COVID quarantine I can't imagine not having that space to help ward off cabin fever.

I almost always booked balconies, but occasionally I would book a 3 day weekend cruise for crazy low prices on an inside cabin. That just scares me now. 

[jetsfan58]

This wise and frugal Cruiser would always choose the "Inside" version. With the $800 or so dollars saved my next cruise is closer that ever. 

[13cheermom]

Have to agree with some of the others above, inside cabins won't be on our list for awhile for us.  We originally had an inside booked on Mardi Gras before the construction delay & now covid delays.  So we decided to re-book with a cove balcony which would give us that private outside space if we needed it.  The rates actually were pretty close from what we originally booked at the start, to what a balcony is going for next November 2022.  Along with $600 OBC, we figure it is paying for itself to upgrade.  With all the uncertainty of how things will be like next year, want to have some options.  We would like to be able to keep this booking and enjoy going back to cruising!

[sarmat1]

Always inside for us.  For those saying there is no natural light, our "window" is the TV set to one of the CAM channels.  It's dark at night and brightens the room at sunrise.

[Joebucks]

I'm over the balconies. They're nice to have. Nice in the morning. Nice when you first get in your room/out to sea, etc. Each and every time, we end up spending hundreds more, and just don't use it. Literally it's like we buy a pass to sit on a balcony for 2 hours for $500. I also regret each and every time I stay in the room for too long. I'm sorry, but for as much I love the sea, starting at the sea from your room is no where in my list of things that makes cruising fun.

 

Although, I will say, when talking about "value", it doesn't look like the balcony is terribly overpriced here. Maybe my mind is just fuzzy from not booking for a while, but I feel the gap is a little more narrowed between balcony and interior. 

[Mary229]

3 minutes ago, Joebucks said:

ile, but I feel the gap is a little more narrowed between balcony and interior. 

I have noticed this now and was the reason I picked a balcony for my 2022 cruise.  We have only once really enjoyed a balcony, fortunately the others were free upgrades.  The days of free upgrades seem to have disappeared.  I think they want those interiors empty as part of the CDC reduced capacity mandate and after the quarantine fiasco. 

[firefly333]

17 minutes ago, Joebucks said:

I'm over the balconies. They're nice to have. Nice in the morning. Nice when you first get in your room/out to sea, etc. Each and every time, we end up spending hundreds more, and just don't use it. Literally it's like we buy a pass to sit on a balcony for 2 hours for $500. I also regret each and every time I stay in the room for too long. I'm sorry, but for as much I love the sea, starting at the sea from your room is no where in my list of things that makes cruising fun.

 

Although, I will say, when talking about "value", it doesn't look like the balcony is terribly overpriced here. Maybe my mind is just fuzzy from not booking for a while, but I feel the gap is a little more narrowed between balcony and interior. 

I live alone at home. I have booked balconies for the window but rarely sit out alone. I'd rather be up on the pool deck. If I wanted to sit alone I'd stay home. I'm with you, they are mostly wasted on me. Just a bigger window. I like to see out, but maybe 250 ish or 350 more for one.

[xDisconnections]

Of those options, I’d go with a normal balcony first, then an interior and an aft balcony last.

 

Not a fan of the aft balconies. 

Edited March 9, 2021 by xDisconnections

[xDisconnections]

On 3/6/2021 at 10:22 PM, Tapi said:

sometimes aft staterooms are prone to vibration and soot. 

Nailed it.

 

That and also it’s a long walk sometimes when you’re at the very end of the ship. I’m not a fan of the room category. 

[SNJCruisers]

41 minutes ago, xDisconnections said:

Nailed it.

It was previously mentioned though that the soot could be moot because of the Mardi Gras being the first LNG ship.

[cruisingguy007]

10 hours ago, sarmat1 said:

Always inside for us.  For those saying there is no natural light, our "window" is the TV set to one of the CAM channels.  It's dark at night and brightens the room at sunrise.

 

Exactly what I do! 

[xDisconnections]

5 hours ago, SNJCruisers said:

It was previously mentioned though that the soot could be moot because of the Mardi Gras being the first LNG ship.

Sure, it’s possible, but it’s also still likely to have issues with vibrations and provide a longer walk than I’d like. Hard pass.

[gtalum]

20 hours ago, jetsfan58 said:

This wise and frugal Cruiser would always choose the "Inside" version. With the $800 or so dollars saved my next cruise is closer that ever. 

 

Frugal, yes.  Wise? That depends on how you value the balcony.

 

Personally I enjoy having the private outdoor space.  I would be far less likely to choose to cruise at all without one.

[gtalum]

19 hours ago, sarmat1 said:

Always inside for us.  For those saying there is no natural light, our "window" is the TV set to one of the CAM channels.  It's dark at night and brightens the room at sunrise.

 

But that's LED light, not natural light.  😉

[ninjacat123]

On 3/7/2021 at 6:24 PM, Saint Greg said:

Definitely not a problem for me. I prefer it to be dark. I cover the glow in the dark signs with duct tape and sometimes put a towel on the floor by the door to block that light. I have my bedroom window blacked out at home. I was a day sleeper for 5 years and still have to occasionally. Actually tomorrow night I have to go in and work at midnight so I’m going to be sleeping during the day tomorrow.

I worked the 11pm-7am shift for a summer and slept down in my parent's basement that had no windows or door.  Super dark!  

[ray98]

On 3/8/2021 at 7:06 PM, Joebucks said:

I'm over the balconies. They're nice to have. Nice in the morning. Nice when you first get in your room/out to sea, etc. Each and every time, we end up spending hundreds more, and just don't use it. Literally it's like we buy a pass to sit on a balcony for 2 hours for $500. I also regret each and every time I stay in the room for too long. I'm sorry, but for as much I love the sea, starting at the sea from your room is no where in my list of things that makes cruising fun.

 

That is exactly how I feel.  The first time we spent a good bit of time out there because it was a novelty.  Later on I found myself having a morning cup of coffee and sitting another few minutes out there at the end of the night.  

[firefly333]

On 3/8/2021 at 9:02 PM, xDisconnections said:

Nailed it.

 

That and also it’s a long walk sometimes when you’re at the very end of the ship. I’m not a fan of the room category. 

I got one of those booked too, a high deck  deck 9.

 

Variety is the spice of life. I used to try out all kinds just to take pictures in case people had questions I told myself, but now I guess I just like mixing it up.

 

Corner aft march 2022.