Balcony vs Solo Interior Cabin

[Daruma]

Hiya, folks, 

 

I'm looking at a Western Caribbean cruise; Costa Maya, Roatan, Bimini, and I'm trying to decide on the solo interior cabin or a balcony cabin. 

 

It's been 15 yrs since I've cruised, (we had a balcony then and enjoyed it,) this time I'm I'm solo, (wife isn't interested in a cruise). .

 

I'd really like the balcony, I can afford the balcony, but it's $1,540 more than the interior solo cabin. 

 

The the logical part of my brain kicks in and says, "Hey, Knuckle Head... you could get TWO solo interior cabin cruises for the price of only one balcony cabin cruise!!" 

 

Anyone done cruises with interior vs balcony experience? 

 

I'd love to hear what folks think. 

 

Thank you for your help and time. 

[Wildcatllamas]

First, I haven't done an interior although I have friends who won't do anything but interiors. They are night owls and love the darkness of an interior so they can sleep during the day.

 

I love a balcony - especially with the hammock. My late husband and I always sailed in suites but that is a little out of my budget these days so I do the balconies. It was nice on my cruise in December to curl up in the hammock, read a book and listen to the ocean. I actually nodded off a couple of times.

[cantgetin]

You'll have a lot more space to spread out in a balcony and you'll have the hammock....which I love.  Also, a lot of specials, like MNVV do not start until a Sea Terrace booking, so with the right TA, you can often reduce the price spread.

That said, my friend insists that the inside is her favorite cabin and often chooses it even when her husband can cruise with her.

 

[kaysha2004]

As a solo cruiser myself, I have been in the solo Insider and it is ultra tiny at 105 ft. If you have the preference of more space to move about in your cabin along with the balcony and hammock, that would be your best choice. I've done the balcony cabin also and I'll never go back to solo insider. It's just too small. However, if you plan to spend very little time in your cabin, this may work for you.

 

If you choose the balcony cabin, call Virgin after your booking to be sure you have a hammock. For some weird reason, not all balconies have a hammock.

[Daruma]

Thank you all so far. 

 

Trying to decide between 2x Solo Insider cruises per year vs 1x Balcony cruise per year is basically what it comes down to for me. 

 

When we/I go on vacations, land based ones, we/I tend to book the cheap rooms cause we just sleep in them... I may apply that same philosophy here, AND get a second cruise for the same overall cost. 

 

But that balcony and being able to sit out in it is SOOOOOO tempting, lol. 

[gumshoe958]

16 minutes ago, Daruma said:

Thank you all so far. 

 

Trying to decide between 2x Solo Insider cruises per year vs 1x Balcony cruise per year is basically what it comes down to for me. 

 

When we/I go on vacations, land based ones, we/I tend to book the cheap rooms cause we just sleep in them... I may apply that same philosophy here, AND get a second cruise for the same overall cost. 

 

But that balcony and being able to sit out in it is SOOOOOO tempting, lol. 

A balcony is always lovely to have but ask yourself how much time you’ll REALLY spend on it? $1540 worth of time?

 

Are there any solo sea view cabins available? They’re really nice IMHO.

[Daruma]

6 minutes ago, gumshoe958 said:

A balcony is always lovely to have but ask yourself how much time you’ll REALLY spend on it? $1540 worth of time?

 

Are there any solo sea view cabins available? They’re really nice IMHO.

 

Thank you. 

 

EXACTLY!! Will I spend $1540 worth of time... an entire extra cruise mind you... in the cabin? I don't think so. 

 

That's my problem... the emotional side of my brain is screaming BALCONY!! 

 

The logical part is screaming TWO CRUISES!! 

 

😂🤣

 

I didn't check the prices between balcony and inside solo... I may have to go back to check, thank you for that insight. 

[Daruma]

11 minutes ago, gumshoe958 said:

A balcony is always lovely to have but ask yourself how much time you’ll REALLY spend on it? $1540 worth of time?

 

Are there any solo sea view cabins available? They’re really nice IMHO.

 

Just checked... Sea Views are $1k to $1.2k more than solo inside for my desired cruises... not sure a window is worth that much more to me, but thank you for the suggestion. 

[jon81uk]

1 hour ago, kaysha2004 said:

If you choose the balcony cabin, call Virgin after your booking to be sure you have a hammock. For some weird reason, not all balconies have a hammock.

Almost all regular sea terrace cabins have hammocks, it’s mainly XL ones at the very front that don’t. 
 

VV Insider has a list https://vvinsider.com/cabins/con/no-hammock/

Edited March 11 by jon81uk

[rebeccac]

Make sure you check the price of the standard interior.  Upon occasion, it is cheaper or very closely priced to book the standard interior for 1 person vs. the solo interior.  

[CanadianCruiser21]

I stayed in a solo insider for 2 weeks and personally loved it, but I’m into cozy cavernous spaces. 
 

its not really $1540 more if you have an MNVV from a TA or just buying someone’s off Facebook. There are plenty available. You would get $300 off and $600 loot, that can be converted to cash relatively easily at the casino (bet on every number including 0 in roulette and you only lose like $30 or so. 

When you factor that in. It’s less than $700 more than the solo insider. To me, that still wasn’t really worth it as a solo sailor. You might just spend about 7 hours on your balcony and that would be $100 an hour you would be paying for sitting there instead of one of the many other places to sit outdoors.

 

I’m also a smaller person so a small room wasn’t a big deal to me. A larger person might feel more cramped. 

 

[Daruma]

46 minutes ago, CanadianCruiser21 said:

I stayed in a solo insider for 2 weeks and personally loved it, but I’m into cozy cavernous spaces. 
 

its not really $1540 more if you have an MNVV from a TA or just buying someone’s off Facebook. There are plenty available. You would get $300 off and $600 loot, that can be converted to cash relatively easily at the casino (bet on every number including 0 in roulette and you only lose like $30 or so. 

When you factor that in. It’s less than $700 more than the solo insider. To me, that still wasn’t really worth it as a solo sailor. You might just spend about 7 hours on your balcony and that would be $100 an hour you would be paying for sitting there instead of one of the many other places to sit outdoors.

 

I’m also a smaller person so a small room wasn’t a big deal to me. A larger person might feel more cramped. 

 

 

Thank you. 

 

I thought that I was in the minority because, honestly, I too prefer smaller spaces... put a balcony on a similar 105 sqft room and I'd be totally happy, lol. 

 

I'm also only 5' 6" male... so a shorty for sure. 

 

Yeah, even then, (had to look up what MNVV meant), the logic part of my brain just keeps kicking in and saying, "Go with the smaller room, and get TWO cruises," lol. 

 

As you say... how many hours will I spend on a balcony? For me two hours per day at MOST. 

 

I just can't rationalize a balcony as I think about it more and more. 

 

I do appreciate all of you for taking the time to read and post. 

[cantgetin]

7 hours ago, Daruma said:

Thank you all so far. 

 

Trying to decide between 2x Solo Insider cruises per year vs 1x Balcony cruise per year is basically what it comes down to for me. 

 

When we/I go on vacations, land based ones, we/I tend to book the cheap rooms cause we just sleep in them... I may apply that same philosophy here, AND get a second cruise for the same overall cost. 

 

But that balcony and being able to sit out in it is SOOOOOO tempting, lol. 

It may not happen again, but VV has had several "No single supplement" deals in the past.  Keep you eyes open.

[CruisingWalter]

16 hours ago, Daruma said:

Trying to decide between 2x Solo Insider cruises per year vs 1x Balcony cruise per year is basically what it comes down to for me. 

 

2 cruises per year wins for me over a balcony every time. 🙂 

[CruisingWalter]

11 hours ago, Daruma said:

As you say... how many hours will I spend on a balcony? For me two hours per day at MOST.

 

Except that VV has the hammock. With that you will spend much more time on your balcony than any other cruise line. My wife will literally sleep at night in that hammock it's so comfortable. So in the case of VV, you usually spend more time on your balcony than you typically would.

[Daruma]

1 hour ago, CruisingWalter said:

 

Except that VV has the hammock. With that you will spend much more time on your balcony than any other cruise line. My wife will literally sleep at night in that hammock it's so comfortable. So in the case of VV, you usually spend more time on your balcony than you typically would.

 

You're not helping, lol. 😂🤣

[raphael360]

I've done 6 VV cruises so far, all Solo Inside Cabins.  I love the dark, cool, quiet escape from the hustle and bustle of the rest of the ship.

[Back to school]

5 hours ago, raphael360 said:

I've done 6 VV cruises so far, all Solo Inside Cabins.  I love the dark, cool, quiet escape from the hustle and bustle of the rest of the ship.

I preferred transatlantic solo insides.  I like better the TV/movies design, dark, quiet.  One person balcony, I don’t get it for the value.  Two persons balcony (or one rockstar), game changing.  Last year, traveling balcony, myself, 10 days, 10 minutes literally watching balcony, huge waste of money.  

[cantgetin]

19 hours ago, Back to school said:

I preferred transatlantic solo insides.  I like better the TV/movies design, dark, quiet.  One person balcony, I don’t get it for the value.  Two persons balcony (or one rockstar), game changing.  Last year, traveling balcony, myself, 10 days, 10 minutes literally watching balcony, huge waste of money.  

To each his own.  I love reading in the hammock. There are 2 of us most of the time, so less of an issue for us.  However, on VV many perks and benefits start at the level of Sea Terrace; that can make a big difference in costs...as can the times they offer "no single supplement."

With the sea terrace perks and discounts, 2 of us usually cruise for far less than double the solo insider rate.

[Daruma]

42 minutes ago, cantgetin said:

To each his own.  I love reading in the hammock. There are 2 of us most of the time, so less of an issue for us.  However, on VV many perks and benefits start at the level of Sea Terrace; that can make a big difference in costs...as can the times they offer "no single supplement."

With the sea terrace perks and discounts, 2 of us usually cruise for far less than double the solo insider rate.

 

Thank you.

 

Good point, however, I called and apparently the only perk I don't get is the $Xhundred Bar Tab for free. 

 

Since I don't drink alcohol I don't care about that... sure I could get "mocktails," specialty coffees/teas, or milkshakes, but to be honest, I'd never drink a couple/three hundred dollars worth of any of those items. I also don't like coffee, and I'm fine with plain ol' iced tea, (which is free for me anyway).

 

So, fortunately for me at least, that's a non-issue. 

[cantgetin]

Oh yeah....I'm not a drinker and have $600 bar tab on next cruise...I'll get a few specialty teas just because I have DBE, but will mostly drink my iced tea.  I find the stuff in the dispenser nasty, but easy to brew my own with the tea bags they provide.  I carry my large covered cup everywhere.

 

[travellingguy]

I just got off Virgin yesterday in San Juan and was in the solo interior.  1st time on Virgin but many times on NCL.

 

We were in the XL balcony in Europe in August.

 

I agree with everyone's points pros and cons to both. 

 

While I loved having the lower price of the solo interior and can easily cope with it's size etc. I did so miss the balcony and for all the reasons above (the hammock in the early evenings was a dream).

 

One extra point that hasn't been mentioned that did bug me a few times - other than an app on your phone with weather - there is no way to see what the weather is or where the ship is currently (in port or not). 

 

I've stayed in the studios on NCL at least 5 times and their Port channel camera that is on the TV I turn to often to see if we are in port, is it sunny, am I too late for sunset, etc.   I really missed this on this trip.   Having to walk from fore to mid and up 6 floors to go outside is the only way.  Not the end of the world but I wish Virgin would add this feature to their tv.

 

Would I spend over $1K to have this minor feature - likely not.   2 trips all the way if money is the issue

[Alegeeter]

I say go with the interior and try your bid for a sea terrace with the Level Upgrade. Worst case, two cruises a year in an inside. Best case, two cruises a year in a balcony cabin 😉

[jon81uk]

7 hours ago, travellingguy said:

I've stayed in the studios on NCL at least 5 times and their Port channel camera that is on the TV I turn to often to see if we are in port, is it sunny, am I too late for sunset, etc.   I really missed this on this trip.   Having to walk from fore to mid and up 6 floors to go outside is the only way.  Not the end of the world but I wish Virgin would add this feature to their tv.

 

There is a channel that shows the view from the wake.

[cantgetin]

9 hours ago, jon81uk said:

There is a channel that shows the view from the wake.

What I would do is set the TV to the view...on most lines it is from the bridge, on VV it is from the wake, and turn the sound to zero.  That way, the tv screen would light up when the sun came up.