Prices!

[Camberley]

8 minutes ago, Windsurfboy said:

 

 

I  have no choice, made the mistake of booking a suite on first cruise so that's what expected. I obey!

 

But that doesn't stop insides being fantastic value for money. 

Yes same, every time now. And you know, I wouldn’t change. And I love entertaining old and new friends in the suite on a cruise.

[Interestedcruisefan]

44 minutes ago, jeanlyon said:

We do.  Quite like an inside.  Would rather not spend more than sleeping time in our cabin and also sleep really well, as it's dark!  Also prefer to spend my money on other things than cabins.

I'm the same as you

 

I've had balconies before cruise ships and hotels. Quite simply never used them anywhere near enough to justify the extra cost.

 

You guys who like balcony cabins.

 

When do you use your balconies?

 

 

 

[Josy1953]

3 minutes ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

I'm the same as you

 

I've had balconies before cruise ships and hotels. Quite simply never used them anywhere near enough to justify the extra cost.

 

You guys who like balcony cabins.

 

When do you use your balconies?

 

 

 

Sea days, the ship is usually very busy with people wandering around so it is hard to find a quiet place to sit  and read so the balcony is really useful.

We usually order room service for lunch on sea days and eat on the balcony.

Edited December 28, 2022 by Josy1953

[grapau27]

16 minutes ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

I'm the same as you

 

I've had balconies before cruise ships  hotels. Quite simply never used them anywhere near enough to justify the extra cost.

 

You guys who like balcony cabins.

 

When do you use your balconies?

 

 

 

We often sit on the balcony early morning when sailing in to port.

We get room service breakfast every morning and eat it on the balcony.

We often have an aft balcony  and enjoy sitting there during the day.

Before we go to bed at night time we will have a hot drink on our balcony.

 

 

 

Edited December 28, 2022 by grapau27

[Happy afloat]

We've had everything except a suite, but tend to do insides as the savings allow us to cruise twice a year. Also, as one of our cruises is always November or December, there's not much use to be had of a balcony on a Southampton round trip.

[Neecy1]

We love having a balcony. This was our view when we woke on our recent cruise in November. Can you guess where it is?

Edited December 28, 2022 by Neecy1
Not attached

[Josy1953]

22 minutes ago, grapau27 said:

We often sit on the balcony early morning when sailing in to port.

We get room service breakfast every morning and eat it on the balcony.

We often have an aft balcony  and enjoy sitting there during the day.

Before we go to bed at night time we will have a hot drink on our balcony.

 

 

 

Don't tell everyone that aft cabins are the best.

[majortom10]

3 hours ago, wowzz said:

To be fair, the various costs are clearly shown during the booking process - standard, Princess Plus,  and Princess Premium.

Given that a glass of wine costs £12 on Princess, if you like a drink, buying the Princess Plus package is a no brainer !

We found many wines on our last Princess cruise in June under $12 never mind £12 ($15 approx).

[Wonky]

11 minutes ago, Neecy1 said:

We love having a balcony. This was our view when we woke on our recent cruise in November. Can you guess where it is?

 

9 minutes ago, Josy1953 said:

Don't tell everyone that aft cabins are the best.

Not on QV at the moment by the sound of it!

 

Madeira, do I win a sticker?!

[Camberley]

1 hour ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

 

 

You guys who like balcony cabins.

 

When do you use your balconies?

- A lot on sea days on our suite balcony which are almost always aft balconies eg) using the provided loungers, tables and chairs for sunbathing, reading and general relaxing away from the hordes. I actually hate the pool and lounger areas generally, and lying around a communal/very public area for hours on end does nothing for us (sometimes far too much like a holiday camp for us…). Much prefer that done privately or with new friends on the balcony.

 

- For entertaining: we often have friends over for a few hours early eves for pre-meal drinks, and then late eve gatherings: it’s so nice to do it in our own privacy on the suite balcony with the space 

- enjoying the view (incl. just the sea!) from our own private area

 

- for some breakfasts and several other meals: and we love al fresco dining with stunning vistas

 

While we love some of the bars for general buzz and occasional mingling, our balcony always gets a LOT of use and is WELL worth it for us. It has turned each cruise into an even more special holiday. 

Edited December 28, 2022 by Camberley

[happy v]

For me it's just being able to open it and have fresh air. 

[Harry Peterson]

When we first started cruising, two friends gave us very conflicting advice. One said get the cheapest inside cabin and the other advised a balcony. We started with a balcony, then a suite, but the problem with suites is that the right ones are a bit like colour televisions in the 1970s - you can’t go back.

 

The guy advising the inside cabin spent most of his waking hours in the bars - it made perfect sense for him.

 

The guy suggesting the balcony was more like us - very limited time in bars, but much happier sitting on a sunny balcony with a drink. 
 

Horses for courses - but for us a balcony’s an absolute essential. First thing in the morning, last thing at night, and any time in the day you fancy a quiet rest without having to hunt down a sun bed. We probably cover a lot of the cost in reduced bar bills.

[bobstheboy]

1 hour ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

I'm the same as you

 

I've had balconies before cruise ships and hotels. Quite simply never used them anywhere near enough to justify the extra cost.

 

You guys who like balcony cabins.

 

When do you use your balconies?

 

 

 

When we can !  I would guess for an average of four hours a day at least. Just love to look out even if bad weather.

 

Each to their own. 

[Bazrat]

We only have balcony cabins not interested in any other type, we also love the sea days hence our preference for TA's, there is nothing better than waking up in the morning and the only decision you have to make first thing is we're your having breakfast than after that the days your own.

[zap99]

1 hour ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

 

 

When do you use your balconies?

 

 

 

We leave the doors open all night, you can do that with an inside as well. I like to sit outside dressed how I please. You can do that with an inside cabin.  When I start snoring  DW sends me outside. She could do that with an inside.........second thoughts, no real advantage.an advantage of an inside is that on port days you don't get that incessant   beep,beep beep,beep

 

[Windsurfboy]

3 hours ago, jeanlyon said:

We do.  Quite like an inside.  Would rather not spend more than sleeping time in our cabin and also sleep really well, as it's dark!  Also prefer to spend my money on other things than cabins.

 

Simple test, if you won lottery would you still go for inside

[pennib]

Are you having a laugh?

[Interestedcruisefan]

39 minutes ago, Windsurfboy said:

 

Simple test, if you won lottery would you still go for inside

Depends how much??

 

Lol

[doog442]

We always have a balcony. I'm just interested in the sea, to me, even though I live on the coast a balcony offers a million pound view that you can step out into. I even find the load of containers mildly interesting.  

[Josy1953]

1 minute ago, doog442 said:

We always have a balcony. I'm just interested in the sea, to me, even though I live on the coast a balcony offers a million pound view that you can step out into. I even find the load of containers mildly interesting.  

I am happy to know that my husband is not the only person to find the loading of containers interesting.  🙂

[wowzz]

3 hours ago, majortom10 said:

We found many wines on our last Princess cruise in June under $12 never mind £12 ($15 approx).

 A decent glass of wine in Vines costs about $12, so £10. Add on the 18% service charge, and you are looking at £11.80. I accept that some of the generic merlots etc are only around $10, but the quality is awful, so I would go to Vines for the better choice.

Drink prices will be increasing next year, which is why the price ceiling on the Plus Package has risen to  $15.

 

[Megabear2]

4 hours ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

I'm the same as you

 

I've had balconies before cruise ships and hotels. Quite simply never used them anywhere near enough to justify the extra cost.

 

You guys who like balcony cabins.

 

When do you use your balconies?

 

 

 

Every day for coffee on the morning, every afternoon from 3.00 or thereabouts, seadays, might time ...

[carlanthony24]

4 hours ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

I'm the same as you

 

I've had balconies before cruise ships and hotels. Quite simply never used them anywhere near enough to justify the extra cost.

 

You guys who like balcony cabins.

 

When do you use your balconies?

 

 

 

During the night just to have a quick look out. When I wake up in the morning, docking, undocking, In the afternoon at times and evening, when waiting for other to get ready.

[Selbourne]

1 hour ago, Josy1953 said:

I am happy to know that my husband is not the only person to find the loading of containers interesting.  🙂

Make that 3 of us 😂. I remember being fascinated by the loading of steel on a ship in St Petersburg when we first went there and berthed in the commercial port rather than the new cruise terminal. Mind you, I also love passing Oil Rigs when heading up to Norway. Sadly, my wife and daughters just roll their eyes at me when I endeavour to point out these interesting things!

 

 

[majortom10]

1 hour ago, wowzz said:

 A decent glass of wine in Vines costs about $12, so £10. Add on the 18% service charge, and you are looking at £11.80. I accept that some of the generic merlots etc are only around $10, but the quality is awful, so I would go to Vines for the better choice.

Drink prices will be increasing next year, which is why the price ceiling on the Plus Package has risen to  $15.

 

It won't really worry me as it will be a long time, if ever, we cruise again with Princess after our cruise in June. Just thought it might interest those that were complaining about drinks package on P&O. We paid £30pppd in June for Princess Plus then they increased price and then later included extra benefits and now have increased it again further for 2024. £50pppd is a large increase and increasing price of drinks limit to $15 is all relative as no doubt wines we were drinking in Vines under $12 will have by now increased to $15.