Livabeth Posted August 20, 2007 #1 Share Posted August 20, 2007 Hi everyone, I'm new to these boards so i apologize if this thread has been addressed before. We are hoping to cruise next Jan/Feb with our two dd (aged 8 and 4) and are trying to decide between an oceanview or balcony cabin. We want to see sunlight in our room, but can't decide if we should pay alittle extra for a balcony. It would be nice to have a glass of wine on after the kids go to sleep each night. We love the idea of the balcony as we had one on our last cruise before we had children, but are afraid that our adventurous 4 year old will climb up to the balcony railing. For those with young families, what would you do or what have you done?? Are the locks on the balcony doors easy to open? Will we be happy with an oceanview? Help!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lexxity Posted August 20, 2007 #2 Share Posted August 20, 2007 Which line and ship? We are big balcony fans and find the doors onto the balcony of the QM2 are so heavy there is no way a child could open them before you'd notice. They'd have to put a silly amount of effort into it to even open it a crack. We loved ours and have balconys booked for both of our next QM2 voyages! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eclipsepearl Posted August 20, 2007 #3 Share Posted August 20, 2007 It seems that all of you will be sharing a cabin so I'd go for the balcony, if only for the space. We did connecting oceanview rooms. I was glad we did because my little one is a monkey and would be the one to get the door open and pull something over to the edge to see better. She's not very cautious and we have to keep an eye on her but everyone on this board with experience says that the balcony doors are pretty secure. With the portal window, she could actually safely stand on the sill (although not recommended, it was seriously solid!) without any real danger. If four in one room is too cramped on a future cruise, when they're bigger, two rooms with windows might be better because you'd have your "own space" by having the parents' room, without the "need" for a balcony. You can later on opt for either a suite or do what we did and have two bathrooms. Our suite choices are limited because of the third child who needs a normal bed. You don't have that issue and also, in only one cabin, you can keep an eye on him better than we could have with our two rooms. He will not be alone in the cabin the whole cruise anyway so you'll be right there if he gets any ideas... Sometimes it depends on the line. I would check out how big the port windows are in oceanview cabins, depending on which cruiseline you're going on. We pulled up to a Costa ship and the windows were tiny. On our Celebrity ship, the Galaxy, they were at least 3ft across. We enjoyed the view without the worry our littlest would have caused, plus the expense of two balcony rooms. I asked dh if he'd like a balcony next time and he didn't see the point as we spent very little time in the room. But in your case, I think it's a good option. Think that you're saving the money that you would have spent on two connecting oceanview rooms. Enjoy the balcony while you can still all share one room! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momofmn00 Posted August 20, 2007 #4 Share Posted August 20, 2007 Just a cosideration for your upcoming cruise. You didn't happen to mention which ship you will be sailing, but if the ship has any spa 6E family oceanview rooms...check into them. They have floor-to-celing windows and still sleep 4. As of now, we are sill leaning towards the 6E family cabin, but the price unfortuntely is a little higher than we were really wanting to pay.:cool: ..but will probably be better than being parinoid the whole entire cruise about whether or not my DS will be hanging off the side of our balcony waving @ the captain:eek: REALLY! MY DS would DO IT!!!!:eek: Check out these current threads about them....and some pictures.... http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=590934 & http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=590934 Hope this helps.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators Rare CC Help Michell Posted August 20, 2007 Administrators #5 Share Posted August 20, 2007 Balconies would be wonderful for after the kids are asleep. Without knowing which ship or line, it's hard to address the safety factor, but having seen this question here before I did take a photo of the sliding door lock on the Pride of Hawaii in July (a sister ship to the Gem, Pearl, and Jewel, and soon to be the Norwegian Jade herself). Here's a photo, and this lock was just under eye-level for me, and I'm 5'10". Hope that helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momofmn00 Posted August 20, 2007 #6 Share Posted August 20, 2007 WOW!!!!! THat is a high lock!!!! I talked to my PVP today and now I think I will end up going with a balcony room. :confused: I just don't think I will want to pay for the family staterooms...LOL! BOY, I am cheap!!!!:rolleyes: And while I agree that some might not spend as much time in their room or on their deck, I really think DH and I will....we really don't party much...We both really enjoy sitting on the deck, watching the waves, enjoying the sun.....AWAY from everyone else......SOMETIMES, that is what we like to do and I think I'm convinced this might be the way to go! Of course, DS (& DD for that matter!) will only be allowed on the balcony with me or DH!!!!!:eek: :) :D ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Livabeth Posted August 20, 2007 Author #7 Share Posted August 20, 2007 Thanks for all of your feedback. We are considering either the Princess Caribbean or RCI Mariner of the Sea. We would probably be fine with a balcony and our 4 year old monkey ... but i would hate it if something was to happen and i should have settled for an oceanview. My husband and I really enjoyed the balcony on our honeymoon. Any additional feedback would be appreciated. Thanks again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paleochick Posted August 20, 2007 #8 Share Posted August 20, 2007 We booked a balcony for our upcoming cruise. I would NEVER let my kids out there alone. The railings are usually pretty high. I'm looking forward to some red wine/hubby time out there each night while my kids sleep. If I had a window and no balcony, I'd go nuts not being able to smell the air or sit outside. That's just me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cb at sea Posted August 20, 2007 #9 Share Posted August 20, 2007 If you use the child-locks, your child will be fine! You're responsible parents and the child won't be on the balcony AT ALL without one of you, right???? The railings are quite high--higher than a deck railing on most homes! I'd do the balcony, just to have some space alone after the child is in bed! Cruises are romantic--EVERYONE needs some "alone" time! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momofmn00 Posted August 21, 2007 #10 Share Posted August 21, 2007 I agree!!And after talking with my PVP today, I too have decided to get a balcony room instead of the 6E Oceanview Family Stateroom!! Plus, my PVP said I cannot use the past guest upgraded on the 6E anyway....:confused: Oh, well, it kinda helped me make the final decision!!!:) Overall, It know it will be nice to have a balcony....somplace to spend time alone with DH after the kiddos have got to sleep...since we wil all be inthe SAME room!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eclipsepearl Posted August 21, 2007 #11 Share Posted August 21, 2007 Enjoy it! Honestly, he'll never even be in the room, let alone out on the balcony most of the time. As a fellow monkey-mom, I worried about the balcony in the kids' room while we were next door. If you're sharing a room, that worry is not relevent. I wish they had connecting rooms with a balcony only for the parents' room but I think that would be physically impossible to design (tell me if I'm wrong-please!) I too would opt for being able to step outside from a smaller room than stay in a bigger room with only windows. When I saw the balconies on the Galaxy, I thought they looked secure. Only if a child pulled something to the edge would they be able to climb up but that's wont happen with you right there (also, while you wouldn't depend on your older ds, he would raise the alarm too). If they were really that dangerous, cruise lines wouldn't even allow children under a certain age to be booked in those cabins. If the cruise company even thought it could be a hazard, or their insurers, they wouldn't even take the risk of mixing kids and balconies. The doors are obviously designed with this scenerio in mind. Don't be suprised if neither of your sons spend more than a nano-second on the balcony the whole time. Our room was basically used for sleeping and getting ready. Kids don't want to spend time in their rooms on a cruise, let alone get into mischief on the balcony. Much funner stuff going on outside! Balconies are boring parent-places to them. With four in one cabin, you need that space for your sanity. Please don't think you're jepardizing your child's safety in booking one. This, coming from a mom who has a 3 yo daughter who is drawn to anything dangerous like a bee to honey... P.S. You may want to watch out for those public decks though! On our ship, not all had plexiglass. Yikes!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terpnut Posted August 22, 2007 #12 Share Posted August 22, 2007 For us, we usually prefer two connecting Oceanviews over a suite, family oceanview or two balconies: two bathrooms, more overall space, no small child balcony paranoia and best value cost. Also, if you are considering a balcony and are in the least bit worried about your monkey jumping off into the ocean, consider that many stateroom balconies do not overhang the ocean. On RCI Radiance-class, for example, if anyone were to jump from a forward deck 8 or higher balcony, you'd land on another balcony below. We did this in Alaska and my wife could sleep well each night! Also on RCI Radiance-class, there are deck 7 balconies that overlook the life-boat covers so there's no water access there either! And finally, most aft balcony rooms are tiered, and do not overhang the ocean--just the next balcony below. My point is that MANY balconies do not have water access below, and so if small children balcony paranoia affects you, do a little research and you'll be fine! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SelectSys Posted August 23, 2007 #13 Share Posted August 23, 2007 I wish they had connecting rooms with a balcony only for the parents' room but I think that would be physically impossible to design (tell me if I'm wrong-please!) RCCL's Voyager class ships have this exact setup in at least of couple of locations. We had cabin 9518 (ocean view) for our kids and 9520 (balcony) for my wife and me on the Navigator of the Seas this summer. It was a great setup for a family. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cruisin-Family Posted August 26, 2007 #14 Share Posted August 26, 2007 So, I haven't read everyone else's posts. This is just my opinion. We have always booked the balcaony when we can. My DS is 4. The first thing we remind him is that he can NEVER be on the balcony w/o one of us. The door might be all the way open, but he will not go out there unless one of us is with him. I take along playdough, and let him play out on the balcony with it. He pushes it up on the glass and then we can tell which cabin is ours when we are on the pier! It is scary to 'think' about the what if's ... but let's not live our lives like that! Let's enjy and just be safe! Enjoy ur cruise! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momofmn00 Posted August 26, 2007 #15 Share Posted August 26, 2007 It is scary to 'think' about the what if's ... but let's not live our lives like that! Let's enjy and just be safe! Enjoy ur cruise! TRUE, TRUE!!!! I totally agree....I mean come on! As a mom, one usually tends to be a little obsessive anyway....but why spend your whole like (espically anytime while vacationing) totally freaked out. Actually, my DH & I figured our 2 kids will probably go out there with is, see the water, and be like "ok, that's nice....WHATEVER!" and be ready to go back to CC or bed...whatever is in the plans for that time...Watching waves is probably not the most facinating thing for kids...lol...IDK I could be wrong...but I think we will definately be going for the balcony room next time.....and I can't wait!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terpnut Posted August 26, 2007 #16 Share Posted August 26, 2007 ... Actually, my DH & I figured our 2 kids will probably go out there with is, see the water, and be like "ok, that's nice....WHATEVER!" and be ready to go back to CC or bed...whatever is in the plans for that time...Watching waves is probably not the most facinating thing for kids...lol...IDK I could be wrong...but I think we will definately be going for the balcony room next time.....and I can't wait!!!!! Very true--our kids were not that interested in going out on the balcony anyhow--too many other interesting things to do! :D This is actually why we always get connecting oceanviews, because we always want two cabins, and while we might enjoy a balcony, it just doesn't make sense for us to pay for two balconies! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eclipsepearl Posted August 26, 2007 #17 Share Posted August 26, 2007 RCCL's Voyager class ships have this exact setup in at least of couple of locations. We had cabin 9518 (ocean view) for our kids and 9520 (balcony) for my wife and me on the Navigator of the Seas this summer. It was a great setup for a family. Thanks for the tip. I'm going to do a little investigating :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SelectSys Posted August 26, 2007 #18 Share Posted August 26, 2007 Thanks for the tip. I'm going to do a little investigating :D Sure, the voyager class ships are also very kid friendly with many activities. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toledo Posted August 28, 2007 #19 Share Posted August 28, 2007 Carnival has ships with adjoining rooms where one is balcony and the other is inside (no windows). Cabins 5105 and 5107 or Cabins 5106 and 5108 on the Upper deck of the Miracle are the rooms I am considering. The Miracle has sister ships with the same layout. My kids are teens, but I still worry about balconies.:rolleyes: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crusinmama06 Posted August 28, 2007 #20 Share Posted August 28, 2007 Since we travel with our young children who are usually past out by 10pm, we really love to stay in balconies so we can have some adult quiet time after the kids are asleep. We have rules for them - -NO kids on the balcony without a parent present on the balcony - NO leaving the kids alone in the room, even for a second to go to the bathroom cause you can never trust the little houdinis to unlock a balcony door -All chairs are moved away from the railing (in case a child decide to stand on one and look over, god forbid) With that being said, I can tell you that the doors are so hard to get open that they are even tough for me to open. I have to pull on them with all of my might. So we have never had any issues with the balconies. ANd here are how tall they are in relation to a 3 and 7 year old... RCCL Freedom of the Seas Carnival Sensation Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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