After you have had a balcony have you ever gone back to an outside?

[TanyaTravels]

My last cruise (and the only cruise) I was on I had a balcony and I loved it. My husband was not with me on the cruise in January....he did not think he would love cruising. Since I went and LOVED it he is now ready to go.

 

I have convinced hubby to go on a Carribean in April but could save alot of money by booking an outside vs. a balcony cabin.

 

Has anyone gone back to an outside after having a balcony????

[SharonCruise]

We have done Oceanview, Balcony, Junior Suite and Grand Suite's. It depends on the price and our cruise budget and also how long since I've cruised. My only stipulation is that I MUST have at least an Oceanview although I prefer a balcony. If I luck up and get better, that's great.

 

Since this will be your husbands first, I'd spring for the balcony just to make sure you hook him......not tricky, just smart......in my opinion.....:) Then, in the future, if it means you can't cruise as often as you want, book the oceanview. I would advise that you not book a regular oceanview....they are tiny......I at least book the superior oceanview which offers approx. 157 sq. ft. vs. 124 sq. ft.

 

Have a wonderful time!

[serene56]

Since I like to cruise I too like to keep my cabins under budget--that way I can spring for bigger excursions.

I have done insides with 5 people in one cabin, did balconies and once in an oceanview. The time in the oceanview the cost was 300 more per person to do a balcoy--for both of us that was 600.00 which could mean another cruise for me.

[lahoban]

Last year we had two balconies for our family. This year were going with two insides. It was so much cheaper. We loved our balcony but the only time we really used it was in the morning to sit out on the deck and drink cofee and watch the other ships come in. We were hardly in our room at all. I am hoping an inside will be fine. We can cruise whole lot cheaper. Our travel agent has gone on 46 cruises and has stayed in every kind of room they have and he say's it will be fine, we'll be out having fun more with an inside room.

[critterchick]

I have, but I wasn't happy about it. I really like having being able to get out in the fresh air quickly.

[mii]

Just my opinion but once if I stay in a balcony as of right now I would not go back to an oceanview. The balconies have spoiled me.:D

 

Marilyn

[Cathy p]

I went on my first cruise last year and had a mini suite on Hal. Loved it. This year I talked my DH into a cruise after vacation with the family at Disney for a rest. I said I was getting an iside and my TA called yesterday and told me about the mini suite since I had changed and went to a balcony. So here I am back to a mini suite and now I have to work extra hours just to pay for it. Not really but I feel bad.:rolleyes:

 

Cathy p

[Noreen411]

Hi

 

On our first cruise we had an Owner's Suite on the Voyager of the Seas. We booked a regular balcony cabin, but upgraded at the pier. It was amazing and we really enjoyed it. We thought we would be spoiled since this was our first cruise.

 

Our second cruise on the Serenade of the Seas was a last minute happy hour special and we were in an inside cabin. I was surprised that I liked it as much as I did. I got the best night's sleep since it was so dark. The space is all well utilized. We spent a lot less time in the room than we did in the Owner's Suite.

 

On my next cruise on the Mariner of the Seas, I'm trying a Promenade room. Since we booked pretty last minute, the choices were limited and unfortunately, no happy hour specials to be had.

 

It's easy to go from one type of room to another. You just use your room differently - the nicer the room the more time you'll spend in it. It also depends where you are cruising to. I'm hoping to cruise to Alaska and for that cruise I definitely want a balcony.

 

I hope this helps.

Noreen

[caribbean dreams]

I love the balcony sea breezes, i don't care what the cost, i need my balcony! my adult children always get inside cabins near ours but are always hanging out on our balcony.

[bakcd]

Multiple choice:

(a) balcony (b) oceanview © inside (d) stay home

 

The correct choice is C of course. If the deal is good enough, then I'd chose a balcony. If the choice is between c and d, then there is no question, go inside. You are never far from an ocean view.

[LizaMM]

I don't think I would bother with an OV again.

 

I have been inside, Ocean View and Balcony.

 

My first choice is a balcony but if for some reason I could not do a balcony I would simply opt for the inside and enjoy the peaceful darkness. For me the window does not add any extra charm and I would save the money for something else.

 

Hint....I went on my most recent cruise with my BF. He was not sure that he really wanted to cruise again. He had cruised before but in insides and OV's(not with me). Of course I booked a balcony for the 2 of us and what a fabulous time we had!! I don't think I'll have any problem convincing him to cruise when we plan our next vacation together ;) We had a lot of wonderful moements out there and I think even if we can only do a an inside next time he is now hooked on cruising as I am!

[4merlurker]

1st cruise we had a balcony. Second cruise we are going with an inside. It's all about the co$t for me. I'd rather cruise sooner in an inside then later in a balc. ;)

 

~Connie

[racepoint]

My very first cruise was a Christmas gift from my boss, so I probably would have been thrilled with an inside - buit he reserved a balcony cabin for us. Thus, setting the hook. I have cruised 3 times since then - once on a balcony (RCI Enchantment with our kids) and the other two times were in an outside cabin because the ships didn't offer a balcony (NCL's older ships). Now, my fifth and upcoming cruise, we have booked two side-by-side outside FULLY OBSTRUCTED oceanview cabins because it was a step up from an inside (on a virtually sold-out ship) and it meant gettting on the ship or staying home. Of course, I wish that we were in a balcony. I'm having a really hard time envisioning this cruise without a balony. In fact, I put us on a waiting list and shortly after final payments were due, I got an e-mail from Princess. They had balcony cabins available. . . but it would cost $500/pp to upgrade to the two cabins. $2,000 ADDITIONAL for a family of four???? Nah . . .

[4merlurker]

1st cruise we had a balcony. Second cruise we are going with an inside. It's all about the co$t for me. I'd rather cruise sooner in an inside then later in a balc. ;)

 

~Connie

 

 

UPDATE: OK, I broke down and booked an Oceanview :o **sigh**

~Connie

[Laurba99]

My first cruise was an oceanview(back when you could get a discount on Celebrity) and I paid 600 pp--then I went on Royal Carribean with a large balcony--I would go back to Oceanview in a second! I spent lots of extra money for the balcony and we ended up having so much rain we were barely out there--I personally feel like it is worth getting an oceanview over an inside room because you know you are on a cruise, the rooms are smallish anyway and at least you get to see that huge ocean out there! and it's so much fun in the morning as you are coming into the next port to be able to look out and see where ever you have landed!!

[cattman]

Kinda depends where I'm going...

 

Alaska? Tahiti? Panama Canal? Definitely a balcony...

 

Caribbean? Mexico? I'd rather an outside or an inside... they stay much cooler and less humid than the balconies... and you're always by the pool anyway...

 

In short, if scenery - or romance - is on the agenda, wait for a balcony

[luv2trvl1]

To answer your question... no

 

In fact we are going the other direction... after a WONDERFUL cruise on HAL's Zaandam with a balcony, my DW talked me into a suite on our next cruise on Costa so we could get an even bigger balcony! We leave in a week... pretty jazzed about it now!

 

I think I would be ok going back, but for my wife it seems to be balcony or nothing.

[RevSmith]

Not unless it was the only way I could go on a cruise...I like my privacy and a balcony makes it so that you can stay in your own cabin and enjoy a good read while sitting out on your own private balcony!

[logan1_2000]

In 2005 we were in a Cat. 5 Balcony stateroom on Disney in January, then 3 mos. later did an ocenaview cat. 8, also on Disney. Not a problem. In 2006 did an Owners Suite on Radiance of the Seas in January and then DW and I, this time w/o DS (who had been with us for all of the previous cruises), did an oceanview, no balcony, on Enchantment of the Seas. Plenty of space. We're booked JS for RCI in '07 and then OV, no balcony on Disney Magic later that year. Just depends of the season, destination, budget, and who is on the trip in question.

[geoherb]

We had our first balcony on our eighth cruise. It was great. But the next cruise (New England/Canada) we took an inside cabin because the difference in prices was so large. We had an obstructed view on the cruise after that to Alaska. Once again, the difference in price was huge. We saved enough on that cruise to do a second cruise in December of the same year--and had a nice balcony on it.

 

We took another inside cabin the following December for a holiday cruise and an outside cabin this past December for a Christmas cruise. Balcony cabins were sold out by the time we booked both of these.

[Kindlychap]

Definitely a minimun of one balcony!

 

Even on a transatlantic!

[gmc1]

I LOVE having a balcony to go out on anytime I get ready to. There's just something about being able to get fresh air and smell the sea that makes it worth the money to me.

I'll never go back inside!!

[Steamboatin]

A balcony is our first preference.

 

Having said that we have selected an "Ocean View with window" under the following conditions:

 

1. We were too late in booking and the balconies were already booked and we really wanted to take that given cruise.

 

2. Going on a cold weather area cruise and it would have been too cold to use the balcony.

 

3. Cruise vessel was built without balcony cabins and we liked and wanted the itinerary.

 

4. An attempt to squeeze in just one more cruise that year out of available spending money.

 

We look forward to sitting out on our balcony on sea days and at night just relaxing, watching the waves going by the vessel and listening to the waves as they go by the vessel.

 

On one of our cruises we had a couple at our table who said that they always sailed only in the least expensive interior cabin for the following reasons:

 

1. They arrived in port the same time as the rest of us did.

 

2. They used their cabin only to sleep in, to take a bath and to change clothes. Otherwise they were out on decik or enjoying the night life.

 

3. In this manner they could take more cruises per year with their budgeted cruise money.

 

Makes sense to me as I can understand their logic even though I rather a balcony.

[hooked cruiser]

We had a balcony at Xmas and as it was our first cruise I decided to splash out. Agree with another comment, we only sat on the balcony first thing in the morning for our Tea.

On our next in October we have saved £300 EACH by taking an inside, this has subsidised our Xmas one later when we have another balcony. I believe it is "watch the prices" and "Choose at the right time".

[DONNALAKA]

as previous posters stated .... we have also done mini/jr suites to insides,sharing w/4 to a rm numerous times and alone {just the 2 of us } , all depending on circumstances. i absolutely LOVE the balcony and always seem to use it no matter how great/busy the cruise is but, if it means the dif. between cruising and NOT cruising , i'd never hesitate to stay inside . ºÜº