Infinite Veranda

[Oville]

Just now, NMTraveller said:

If they were better than a balcony,  they would have put them in the suites ...

Huh?

[Trevor Fountain]

14 minutes ago, NMTraveller said:

It is clear which option Celebrity thinks is better as they charge more for a real balcony on E class.

As the "real" balconies are aft balconies and on most if not all ships these would be more expensive than normal balconies anyway.

[NMTraveller]

14 minutes ago, Trevor Fountain said:

As the "real" balconies are aft balconies and on most if not all ships these would be more expensive than normal balconies anyway.

The point is that these higher level rooms are all real balconies and not IVs.

[Miaminice]

23 minutes ago, NMTraveller said:

If the IVs were better than a balcony,  they would have put them in the suites ...

 

Yet the premium rooms (suites and SVs) have real balconies...

 

It is clear which option Celebrity thinks is better as they charge more for a real balcony on E class.

I really can’t follow that logic. SVs for example are not better or premium, it’s just a choice of view. Personally we don’t like them. 
 

As to the numbers… how do you get the numbers? By listening to the people who loudly express their dislike while people who like them are just quietly enjoying them.

Don’t get me wrong, if you don’t like them it’s perfectly fine with me. 
However, reading all the negativity and missionary work of some people who constantly badmouth the IVs, acting as if their opinion is the only one that matters is just getting a bit too much 🤷🏻 BTW not saying you are one of them!

[AC Stew]

3 minutes ago, Trevor Fountain said:

As the "real" balconies are aft balconies and on most if not all ships these would be more expensive than normal balconies anyway.

 

True. The aft (fantail) balconies were formerly C1s prior to the latest classification change. A Concierge 1 category came at a higher cost but afforded more benefits than a regular balcony. 5 points per night, and all the Concierge perks (which we won't debate here).

 

The same cabin, now re-named as SV gives fewer benefits. Points reduced to 3 per night. No Concierge perks. And the biggie, I'm fairly certain that Celebrity now charges more for the SV than even a Concierge cabin. Yet they've reduced the points! Still, if we return to an E Class, my preference will always be the real balcony. 

 

Others will of course, be very happy with an IV. It's a matter of choice. I just wish that the E Class and any future new builds would offer more of an even mix of balconies and IVs!

[NMTraveller]

10 minutes ago, AC Stew said:

I just wish that the E Class and any future new builds would offer more of an even mix of balconies and IVs!

The next class of ship will have a market based mix of IVs and real balconies.  I would expect them to do research on the numbers.  I believe that Icon has 27% IVs.

 

 

 

Edited August 25 by NMTraveller

[jelayne]

1 hour ago, Oville said:

Please let us know where you got your numbers.  As you know many negative reviews on here come from people who have never stayed in one.

And there are some of us who like them but avoid  commenting in response to the naysayers who take every chance to point out their dislike.

Just off the Beyond in the Caribbean there were lots of ships/ cruise lines to choose among. The ship was full so a couple thousand people booked IVs. 

[IDL]

4 hours ago, Marie51 said:

There must be something positive? I’m going next week😓

I like the extra indoor space it provides; makes the much less cluttered.   I prefer over a standard balcony. 

[d9704011]

I have been on Edge, Ascent and Beyond.... all IVs.  

 

For Caribbean (warm weather) I'd prefer a 'standard' balcony because of the air conditioning difficulties that have been identified.  For cooler weather, IVs were excellent.

 

I would try to arrange to get a cabin with bed closer to the  bathroom than the window.  In my opinion, it is a more useful layout and gives the impression of more space.

 

[AC Stew]

This has been a "spirited" discussion, and thanks to all, but here's my final comment:

 

I fully respect anyone's choice to cruise in any category that they desire. I understand that not all of us will be able to sail in Suites or even outside cabins! IVs are an innovation which some of us enjoy, and some of us reject.

 

My personal issue with the IVs is that I think there are just too many of them. A popular E Class Caribbean sailing will likely be full, regardless of whatever staterooms are available. I don't think that cruisers picked the IVs necessarily because they might have wanted an IV. Those cabins are the vast majority of outside availability, so there you have it.

 

Some will enjoy their IV experience; some will choose to not book one again. For me, I just don't think the choice of IV/ Balcony is balanced. Because we like a balcony, I'm now largely restricted to Solstice and Millenium Class ships. And I do know that I'm not alone. Honestly, I'll repeat that I believe Celebrity should keep the IVs for new builds but include traditional balconies as well. I don't recall any of us ever in deep conversations about who does or doesn't like a balcony!

 

I don't think that the cabins we book (or don't) should be viewed as any kind of personal insult! I've been offering what I hope is my well-considered viewpoint. We can all agree to disagree, keeping respect as a priority!

 

That's all for me.

[the penguins]

4 minutes ago, d9704011 said:

I have been on Edge, Ascent and Beyond.... all IVs.  

 

For Caribbean (warm weather) I'd prefer a 'standard' balcony because of the air conditioning difficulties that have been identified.  For cooler weather, IVs were excellent.

 

I would try to arrange to get a cabin with bed closer to the  bathroom than the window.  In my opinion, it is a more useful layout and gives the impression of more space.

 

not if you have mobility issues and use a Rollator - bed by the window/balcony gives much more room as you enter the cabin.

Choice is good

[Liao]

12 minutes ago, d9704011 said:

I have been on Edge, Ascent and Beyond.... all IVs.  

 

For Caribbean (warm weather) I'd prefer a 'standard' balcony because of the air conditioning difficulties that have been identified.  For cooler weather, IVs were excellent.

 

I would try to arrange to get a cabin with bed closer to the  bathroom than the window.  In my opinion, it is a more useful layout and gives the impression of more space.

 

Exactly what I have done for my upcoming TA on Apex.

[ScottC4746]

7 hours ago, irishayes said:

I see so many posts about people not liking the infinite verandas, but they don’t say WHY.  What are the drawbacks to these rooms?  Trying to decide if we should pay the extra for a sunset veranda room?

We had one this year on Edge.  It was our first time and we walked in thinking we were going to hate it and we loved it.

PROS:

It was Alaska so we could set out there without freezing.  

It made the room feel bigger

It was nice not having to deal with a door to sit on it.

It was nice not having curtain to flop around letting in light at night...it was Alaska.

CONS:

First one up couldn't peek out to see where we were in the morning without having to open up the black out curtain -- slow and noisy.

Opening the window and black out curtain was slow and noisy.

[Noworkforme23]

We will be using our first infinite veranda in December on our eastern Caribbean cruise on the Apex. I am looking forward to the infinite veranda because I don’t like to go outside on the balcony after I have showered in the evening because it is so humid, the sea air and humidity gets you all sticky.  It will be nice to have the large closed window to see the ocean, but not have to physically get hot and sticky going outside. I am looking forward to trying it out. 😊😊

[RichYak]

4 hours ago, AC Stew said:

My personal issue with the IVs is that I think there are just too many of them. A popular E Class Caribbean sailing will likely be full, regardless of whatever staterooms are available. I don't think that cruisers picked the IVs necessarily because they might have wanted an IV. Those cabins are the vast majority of outside availability, so there you have it.

I would add to this that if you prefer to sail in Aqua or Concierge class, you have no choice on E class. You MUST sail in an IV cabin and do without a balcony.

[Lena11033]

8 hours ago, Marie51 said:

There must be something positive? I’m going next week😓

 

I personally like the IV, I don't spend time on a balcony anyway - don't let the people with all the negative comments sway you just make up your own mind 

[Marie51]

Thank you everyone for your comments. There are six of us in three IV cabins, we’re all going with a positive attitude.

[hcat]

5 hours ago, NMTraveller said:

The next class of ship will have a market based mix of IVs and real balconies.  I would expect them to do research on the numbers.  I believe that Icon has 27% IVs.

 

 

 

Isn't ICON one of the  biggie Royal C ships?  def not for us.. 

 

We are good with SVs, IVs, and reg balc on S Class..But no big beasts for us! And def no Royal C..

[Spif Barwunkel]

Infinite Veranda cabins are absolutely fine. Disregard how people define them, "real balcony" versus "window that opens." It's a new variation on an old theme and therefore many folks find it difficult to adjust. That's okay. We enjoy them, and we do spend lots of time out there. There are no "air conditioning difficulties" as some folks profess. So, relax and enjoy what the IV offers. You may be pleasantly surprised.

[d9704011]

2 minutes ago, Spif Barwunkel said:

There are no "air conditioning difficulties" as some folks profess.

Sure there are.

[Ken the cruiser]

10 hours ago, irishayes said:

I see so many posts about people not liking the infinite verandas, but they don’t say WHY.  What are the drawbacks to these rooms?  Trying to decide if we should pay the extra for a sunset veranda room?

Spend the extra and get a sunset veranda before they are all gone, if they aren’t already. There are so many positives about a sunset veranda, one of which is being able to see on both sides of the ship as well as out the aft when leaving a port.

[NMTraveller]

15 minutes ago, hcat said:

Isn't ICON one of the  biggie Royal C ships?  def not for us.. 

 

We are good with SVs, IVs, and reg balc on S Class..But no big beasts for us! And def no Royal C..

Yes Icon is big.  Too large for myself.

 

But it is a Royal ship that is doing a market based split.  I would expect the Celebrity market based split on the next class of ships to be somewhere close to the Royal 27% for IVs.  Perhaps a bit higher...

Edited August 26 by NMTraveller

[Oville]

8 minutes ago, NMTraveller said:

Yes Icon is big.  Too large for myself.

 

But it is a Royal ship that is doing a market based split.  I would expect the Celebrity market based split on the next class of ships to be somewhere close to the Royal 27% for IVs.  Perhaps a bit higher...

But you don’t know. 

[zitsky]

The people who like IVs are just as vocal as people who don’t.  

I don’t need to book a certain cabin to know I won’t like it.  I get sea sick so would you tell me to book a forward cabin on the highest deck?  Well I haven’t tried it so how do I know I won’t like it?

[zitsky]

11 hours ago, 39august said:

We liked it as it expands the room size. However, we did miss being able to go outside. I woudn't want to always cruise in one, but occasionally,  it would be OK. If you absolutely must have outside access, then of course, go with the sunset balcony cabin.

It expands the room size?  By how much?