To Balcony or Not To Balcony...

[BelizePlease]

...that is my question!

 

I haven't been on NCL in a looooooong time - and only one time at that. My past several cruises have been on Carnival - the last three having balcony staterooms. This year we've chosen the 9-day Southern Carribbean cruise on the Pearl...for the length of the cruise...three sea days (my favorite!!) and the ports!

 

My hesitation this coming year is whether or not to spend the $450 per person to have a balcony...versus staying in an oceanview. I think we'll really miss the balcony - but I'm not sure I can justify spending $900 per cabin to have one...

 

Anyone have any thoughts? :confused:

[cmdchiefthom]

To me, $50.00 per day to have the sea just below your feet is certainly worth it. No question in my mind, I'd do it!;)

[lvtotrvl1]

With 3 sea days I would love to sit and relax on my balcony as we sail. Get away from the crowds for awhile and feel comfortable and not closed in a cabin.

[Toyz711]

we got a balcony on our next cruise, the 1st balcony (ever) was on the last cruise. but the price we got ,for up-coming cruise, was too good to pass up. if it breaks the bank and keeps you from doing other things, no, having balcony is nice, but if it means you don't get to do anything on the islands..not worth it.

[Janchris]

My hesitation this coming year is whether or not to spend the $450 per person to have a balcony...versus staying in an oceanview. I think we'll really miss the balcony - but I'm not sure I can justify spending $900 per cabin to have one...

 

Anyone have any thoughts? :confused:

 

I personally will not cruise any other way and feel the extra money well worth it. We just came back from a 1 night cruise on the Spirit and enjoyed the balcony.

I see that you were on the Carnival Legend last year and so were we. Loved the ship, food and room size.

Whatever you decide about the balcony I am sure you will have a good time.

Janet:)

[BelizePlease]

I see that you were on the Carnival Legend last year and so were we. Loved the ship, food and room size.

Whatever you decide about the balcony I am sure you will have a good time.

Janet:)

 

The Legend is my favorite ship...so far. :) Made some great friends the two cruises we took on her! Both crew...and passengers!

[cruise4kicks]

if it breaks the bank and keeps you from doing other things, no, having balcony is nice, but if it means you don't get to do anything on the islands..not worth it.

Wiser words have not been writ... Good advice, Cathi!

[MrLee]

I imagine it would depend somewhat on how much use you get out of it. I like breakfast out there (as long as the weather is nice) but not enough to spend an extra $900 but that's my opinion. I do have a balcony on my upcoming cruise but it was an unbelievable price. Oceanview are now more expensive then my BA. :D

[CanadianTwosome]

I really don't think anyone can answer questions like this except the person who will be there... We're inside cabin travellers, simply because we don't spend enough time in our cabin to care about whether it has a view or not. I've never stayed in a cabin with a balcony, but have had travelling companions who have - and I think we spent about ten minutes out there with them one evening and I found it cramped and boring compared to socializing on deck. I've had an ocean view cabin with a big unobstructed picture window on another cruise, as well as one with a porthole - took a fantastic picture out of it in Key West - and both times I remember commenting on the nice view when I walked into the room and then never thinking about it again.

 

So... basically, for ME, it wouldn't be worth it when I could instead spend that money on the specialty restaurants, excursions, drinks... or a new outfit at my local mall! ha ha ha I think, BelizePlease, that you and your partner should discuss what benefit you think a balcony would give you. If you're the type that enjoys spending the time away from the other passengers relaxing in your cabin, then it may be worth it. I've never been on a ship where I couldn't find a quiet place to stand at a rail and look out over the ocean, though... so it's all about personal preference.

 

Have fun!

[Stillfloatin']

When I was younger, I liked to spend all my time during the day at the pool listening to the band and getting some rays. Evenings were spent at various bars, etc. around the ship. Obviously, an inside or oceanview was perfect.

 

Now that I'm older and would rather sit on my balcony reading a book, listening to my iPod, and drinking margaritas during the day, the balcony is preferable. Also, I really enjoy pre-dinner drinks on the balcony, and sitting out there with some hot chocolate and listening to the sea before bed. My cabin preference changed as my cruising needs changed. Get what works for your own style and you'll be happy.

[Toyz711]

that's it, that's my hubby idea. he has had a bad year, lost his dad...sales have been stressful...we have, both, been fighting aging. he wants his balcony. we enjoyed the one in alaska, really made use of it. with 2 sea days and 2 port days with nothing planned, he plans to enjoy this balcony. i, on the other hand, will be up by the pool. if we were paying for this, it would have been a gty oceanview. at today's price, it would have been a inside!!!

[Paul&Kathy]

Like CanarianTwosome we always book inside - usually guarantee as for us it means we can cruise more often ! On our last cruise (Princess) we got a free upgrade to a balcony and it was fantastic to have it for once but it reinforced our view that we would never pay for one. It was lovely to get a breath of fresh air in the mornings and see what the weather was really like, but we would never sit out there - my husband has a fear of heights and really did not like it at all and I like to be with other people, but for those of you who want a balcony, take your choice and enjoy it.

[jeffh228]

We had breakfast almost every morning on our balcony - it was a great way to start each day!

 

The real issue is this: Are you going to use it? You know what kind of people you are.

 

The time you spend on your balcony might keep you from spending more money somewhere else (casino, shopping, bar).

[ZoneHPH]

yeah...ask yourself "are you going to use it" as the previous poster said. for me it's a great place to take photos from (if you can figure out what will be on your side of the ship...e.g. sailing down the Hudson River out of NYC).

 

but then again you can take pics from the top decks.

 

our last cruise i used the balcony in the early morning hours (my wife's first cruise ever...wanted her to have a balcony). i wake up super early...like 5am. but it's too early to do anything onboard. so i would spend the time on the balcony on my laptop reviewing the photos from the day before.

 

yes i know i said laptop...but i assure you it's only for photos, and not for work. (it's also great to get my CC review started when all i have to do is Cut and Paste into a thread when i get home).

 

but other than that...my wife and i agreed that unless it's a good price, we'll go inside and hope for an upgrade...GTY always.

[ute_fan]

I'd also have trouble paying that much more for a balcony. We're still fairly new cruisers, with only 5 completed, and we've been in an inside twice, an outside porthole, an outside picture window, and a balcony. For us, the balcony provided a nice view of Alaska, but we really didn't enjoy sitting outside on it that much.

 

We went with an inside cabin on the Pearl to Alaska in May. If you end up deciding to do without a balcony, I would suggest spending lots of time on the promenade deck. I actually preferred it to a balcony, as there were very comfortable loungers instead of a fairly uncomfortable chair on a narrow balcony. We were able to stretch out nicely on those loungers (in my case, underneath the blankets that they thoughtfully provided) and watch the scenery without having to spend that additional money for a balcony. Between the promenade deck and the areas by the pool, we felt that there were plenty of spaces available.

 

Everyone has their own preferences. For my DH and I, we've enjoyed spending time visiting with the crew and our fellow passengers. If we'd paid for a balcony, we wouldn't feel as much like socializing.

[lukesgrammie]

You only go around once.................There is nothing like having the doorwall open and having the waves lull you to sleep while breathing the fresh air............only problem is...once you get one...your hooked!!!!

[deepnite10]

seem s like there are many of you got that free upgrade from a C to BB cabin..i did as well on the Star in Jan..

 

really looking forward sitting out on the balcony in the evening in Alacopolco..we ll be looking out onto the main drag or out into the bay..either way it should prove to be a very romatic evening *s*..:D

 

also planning on hitting the buffet and hauling back some goodies to help carry ourselve s late into evening and early morning..:p

[MrLee]

once you get one...your hooked!!!!

 

I couldn't disagree more. It's nice of course, but not that nice. There are many areas to enjoy the open sea aboard without spending the extra money that a balcony usually entails. Especially since, unless you're in a suite, most of the balconies are small and cramped.

 

That's not to say they aren't pleasant at times but not enough to justify the cost. Just my opinion of course.

[mbisson]

We've only had balcony cabins twice-we did enjoy them, but one was a really cheap price and the other was the result of an upsell (again cheap). To us, it's all dependent on how much it costs.

[lukesgrammie]

I couldn't disagree more. It's nice of course, but not that nice. There are many areas to enjoy the open sea aboard without spending the extra money that a balcony usually entails. Especially since, unless you're in a suite, most of the balconies are small and cramped.

 

That's not to say they aren't pleasant at times but not enough to justify the cost. Just my opinion of course.

 

 

Don't want to offend anyone.........I just love balconies...I always find the deals somewhere.....and they sure aren't as "cramped" as an inside:) !!!!

[mbisson]

Don't want to offend anyone.........I just love balconies...I always find the deals somewhere.....and they sure aren't as "cramped" as an inside:) !!!!

 

 

That's why they have many different categories! :D

 

BTW-we had an inside on the Sun about a year ago (I think it was an II). It must've been close to if not bigger in size to the BA we had on the same ship a couple years before! So some of those inside cabins are especially cramped.

[MrLee]

Don't want to offend anyone.........I just love balconies...I always find the deals somewhere.....and they sure aren't as "cramped" as an inside:) !!!!

 

 

You're certainly not offending me! :D That's why I said "just my opinion". :cool:

[CC Help Michell]

Whether a balcony is "worth it" depends entirely on how YOU define worth. I wouldn't fault the "always book inside" folks OR the "always book suite" folks -- they know what they are spending, what they can afford, and how much they will use the amenities their cabin level offers. We've tried them all except a suite (we get to do that next time on the Dawn), and my take on it is personal -- but overall we prefer a balcony for a lot of reasons.

 

That said, a $900 per cabin difference between an OV and a balcony sounds pretty high to me -- normally the difference is about $250 per person (as on the Pearl's 9-day sailings on 11/16, 11/30, and 12/14 this year). Are you locked into a different sailing (I notice the 11/2 sailing has a differential right at the $450 you mention)? If not, you could save a good bit of cash and still get the balcony you already know you love by moving your sailing date.

[scperk]

I agree with MrLee...It all depends on how much time you are going to spend on your balcony...We've had one a couple of times and did not use it very much..I would have a drink while the DW go dressed for the evening or coffee in the morning, but $900 would go a long way toward a couple of massages and days in the spa and casino..have a great cruise....Dennis

[chrisbd1]

When I booked our latest cruise I made the decision based on the price of the balcony. For us it's worth it only if we can swing the price. I think these was only $200 pp difference between the highest oceanview and the lowest balcony. Granted I booked the lowest balcony catagory GTY. I've been upgarded two catagories and wouldn't say no to an affordable offer from the upsale fairy:) .