Is balcony on a fall trans Atlantic with the cost

[lucyandricky]

1 minute ago, 1965 said:

I did it! 😁

Good for you!!!  Enjoy your cruise!  We're on the Sky Princess November 5th crossing.

 

[skynight]

11 hours ago, 1965 said:

I know nothing about such things. This will be our 22nd cruise. 19 of those have been in an inside. What is the advantage of a port cabin for an east-west cruise? Thanks!

The sun will be to the south. During an Atlantic east to west crossing a starboard side balcony will be mostly in the shade and cooler. The port side will receive more sun and be warmer. Based on accurate information, not ridiculous. However, a starboard side balcony will still be better than any inside cabin. 

[susancruzs]

Congrats on a balcony cabin, sailing single, totally relate to insides.  I'm at the age where I'm spending more for an outside or a balcony.  Thirty some cruises, maybe 10 with a balcony or window.

 

I do like Royal class for obstr. view balconies, good deal compared to inside.  I have starboard 9/22 Enchanted TA, don't care about POSH, care about having the couch for 26 days! 🙂 

Edited July 17, 2021 by susancruzs

[roxievegas]

I vote - Take the Balcony.  Even if you don't go out on the balcony, having the curtains open and seeing the ocean is worth it.  

2016 did a trans Atlantic on another cruise line, paid $899 for balcony.  Another guest living in Florida booked his cabin two weeks before leaving at got it for $699.

[1965]

1 hour ago, roxievegas said:

I vote - Take the Balcony.  Even if you don't go out on the balcony, having the curtains open and seeing the ocean is worth it.  

2016 did a trans Atlantic on another cruise line, paid $899 for balcony.  Another guest living in Florida booked his cabin two weeks before leaving at got it for $699.

What a deal!! 😊

[Tedferg]

3 hours ago, skynight said:

The sun will be to the south. During an Atlantic east to west crossing a starboard side balcony will be mostly in the shade and cooler. The port side will receive more sun and be warmer. Based on accurate information, not ridiculous. However, a starboard side balcony will still be better than any inside cabin. 

Perhaps more important than I realized. I still think 'waste of money' is too strong. 

[beg3yrs]

13 hours ago, racj846 said:

Agreed - that statement is totally ridiculous.  Maybe what the poster is trying to say is travelling East to West, a port side balcony may be sunnier than a Starbord side balcony.  Just maybe!!

 

15 hours ago, Tedferg said:

This statement is ridiculous

Ridiculous is pretty rude language here so I beg to differ. We too would prefer a more sunny port cabin on a westbound TA in the northern hemisphere, especially when it's getting toward the winter months. It ain't a deal-breaker but given the choice we'd pick a starboard balcony.

[vjmatty]

58 minutes ago, beg3yrs said:

 

Ridiculous is pretty rude language here so I beg to differ. We too would prefer a more sunny port cabin on a westbound TA in the northern hemisphere, especially when it's getting toward the winter months. It ain't a deal-breaker but given the choice we'd pick a starboard balcony.

I think extreme language begets extreme language. If the starboard cabin wasn’t called “a waste of money”, then ridiculous would indeed be extreme. 
 

After all, it is kind of ridiculous to say upgrading to a balcony is a waste of money if it’s starboard, POSH or not. 

[beg3yrs]

12 minutes ago, vjmatty said:

I think extreme language begets extreme language. If the starboard cabin wasn’t called “a waste of money”, then ridiculous would indeed be extreme. 
 

After all, it is kind of ridiculous to say upgrading to a balcony is a waste of money if it’s starboard, POSH or not. 

Good point.

[Loritd]

I would definitely would book a balcony. It's nice to get a little fresh air in the cabin even if it is too cold to sit outside. Plus the large floor to ceiling window is worth its weight in gold.  

[wowzz]

OK   - I'm the one who used the phrase "waste of money", so I will clarify my post.

If sailing to the US from Europe, if you have a starboard cabin, you will get very little sun.  If you are lucky enough to get a sunny trip, you will have to go on the public decks to enjoy the sun.

Sure, a starboard balcony gives you somewhere quiet and private, but it will be cold and  gloomy.

So, perhaps not a total waste of money,  but only pay the premium if you are guaranteed a port cabin.

As always, just my opinion.

[susancruzs]

I live in NE Wisconsin, don't care about cold and gloomy, premium money doesn't matter if I get the balcony cabin I want! 🙂 

 

I booked my TA cruise months ago and to book it now would be thousands more. I'm happy and everyone has their thoughts, priorities for cabins, always interesting reading!

[wowzz]

2 hours ago, susancruzs said:

I live in NE Wisconsin, don't care about cold and gloomy, premium money doesn't matter if I get the balcony cabin I want! 🙂 

 

I booked my TA cruise months ago and to book it now would be thousands more. I'm happy and everyone has their thoughts, priorities for cabins, always interesting reading!

To be honest, being one of the few Brits who have ever visited Wisconsin (Monroe), I can totally see why you want any balcony cabin. Goodness, it gets cold in winter!

Enjoy your cruise. 

[2 cruises a year]

12 hours ago, 1965 said:

Good to know. This will be a guarantee cabin of their choosing, so fingers crossed. I know we'll love it regardless. 😁

You have a 50-50 chance.  Good Luck!  And yes, you will love it regardless.

[Tedferg]

4 hours ago, wowzz said:

OK   - I'm the one who used the phrase "waste of money", so I will clarify my post.

If sailing to the US from Europe, if you have a starboard cabin, you will get very little sun.  If you are lucky enough to get a sunny trip, you will have to go on the public decks to enjoy the sun.

Sure, a starboard balcony gives you somewhere quiet and private, but it will be cold and  gloomy.

So, perhaps not a total waste of money,  but only pay the premium if you are guaranteed a port cabin.

As always, just my opinion.

I said 'ridiculous' so I will clarify my comment. First by apologizing, if we were sitting across from each other it would not seem as harsh as it does in print. I was thinking of lots of sea days and couldn’t imagine being inside, so a cabin anywhere would be better to me. 

[susancruzs]

I've never minded my inside cabins, been in one for 25 days, too!  However, this pandemic has me thinking I wouldn't want to be confined to an inside cabin.  My choice to be inside for a long cruise is one thing, but being told to stay in my cabin, another story!

[1965]

13 minutes ago, susancruzs said:

I've never minded my inside cabins, been in one for 25 days, too!  However, this pandemic has me thinking I wouldn't want to be confined to an inside cabin.  My choice to be inside for a long cruise is one thing, but being told to stay in my cabin, another story!

The pandemic has me thinking that same thing. We've done 28 days in an inside & were quite happy. But a balcony would definitely add to our happiness. Lol. 

[CAZephyr]

On 7/16/2021 at 9:25 AM, 1965 said:

I'm thinking of switching our inside for a balcony due to price drop. Our trans Atlantic cruise departs Southampton this Nov. 3. We have 4 ports & 10 sea days. For those who've done fall trans Atlantics in a balcony were you able to use your balcony often enough for it to be worth the extra cost? Thank you for any info & input.

Balcony is my vote.  We've only sailed transatlantic cruises (3) in cabins with balcony; though, we've done inside cabins on local cruises out of California.  Royal class ship balconies are smaller than every other ship we've been on....so you could feel cheated.  We never do.  We like to retreat to the cabin at times to play cribbage, or read and/or have morning coffee on the balcony.  For us, the soothing sound of the ship moving through water, and fresh air and views on demand is worth it.  The following is a sample of balcony size on the Regal Princess.

[caribill]

18 hours ago, 1965 said:

Good to know. This will be a guarantee cabin of their choosing, so fingers crossed. I know we'll love it regardless. 😁

 

Be sure to come back and let us know what cabin you ended up in.

[1965]

5 hours ago, caribill said:

 

Be sure to come back and let us know what cabin you ended up in.

I will! 😁

[1965]

6 hours ago, CAZephyr said:

Balcony is my vote.  We've only sailed transatlantic cruises (3) in cabins with balcony; though, we've done inside cabins on local cruises out of California.  Royal class ship balconies are smaller than every other ship we've been on....so you could feel cheated.  We never do.  We like to retreat to the cabin at times to play cribbage, or read and/or have morning coffee on the balcony.  For us, the soothing sound of the ship moving through water, and fresh air and views on demand is worth it.  The following is a sample of balcony size on the Regal Princess.

Even a small balcony will be a treat for us. Another nice thing is the cabin itself will be a little roomier than an inside. 🤞this cruise sets sail. 😊

[paradiselivin1]

You will love your balcony cabin. We always take one aft as we did for our TA from Barcelona a few years ago. We do sit outside unless it rains or there is a very strong breeze. Enjoy!

[Grego]

On 7/16/2021 at 9:21 PM, Tedferg said:

This statement is ridiculous

I agree.  You would think after all those voyages they had it would be possible to have figured that out by now.  We always love waking up to a sunrise through our balcony window and then later in the morning the warmth of the sun while sitting on the balcony and reading a book.

[wowzz]

16 minutes ago, Grego said:

I agree.  You would think after all those voyages they had it would be possible to have figured that out by now.  We always love waking up to a sunrise through our balcony window and then later in the morning the warmth of the sun while sitting on the balcony and reading a book.

Although of  course you can do neither of those things on a west bound TA in a starboard cabin! 

[gmjc2]

After 17 TA's we always book a balcony. We love to sit outside reading and watching for whales and dolphins on a warmer day. At night we go outside and watch the stars. Spent 3 days in an interior once and would never again!