Are balconies worth the extra price? First timer ?'s

[tisue2006]

Hello,

 

My family and I are going on a cruise in the Med. and My father was wondering if it would be worth the extra cost to him getting a balcony suite rather than an ocean view room? Any opinions would be appreciated. Is HAL a good choice for first time cruisers? I would lover to hear any great things that need to be said about the Noordom ship. and favorite places to eat, things to do etc.

 

Thanks so much!

- Christina

[jhannah]

The Noordam is truly a wonderful ship. And Holland America provides a cut above cruise experience. I think it would be a wonderful first cruise.

 

A verandah is well worth the added expense, IMO. Others will tell you it isn't. It all depends on what you want. We so much enjoy sitting out and watching the sea/scenery go by, and having our own space to pop out and watch while coming into port. Enjoying the fresh sea air is just a step away.

 

The Pinnacle Grill is a wonderful place to eat. It's extra charge, but provides a nice ambiance and high-quality steaks and seafood. However, we've cruised and not visited there at all. The dining room food meets our needs just fine. It's very, very good.

 

Your family will have a wonderful time exploring the Mediterranean on the Noordam.

[tisue2006]

Thank you for your reply! That was helpful!

[SakeDad]

Christina.

It does depend on what you want from a cruise. If you're on a port intensive sailing you may be off the ship alot so who cares. But if you want to sail into those ports enjoying your morning coffee or evening cocktail in private then a balcony is wonderful. I took my mother on the Noordam last year to Alaska. I told her we had a nice cabin but didn't tell her until we checked in that was actually had a suite with all the Neptune Lounge perks etc...She was very pleasantly surprised and really enjoyed being pampered all week long. This was her on the balcony as she read the letter that told her everything included in the suite.

There are also alot of pictures of other Noordam cabins, from inside to out to aft and suites on my Alaska gallery below as we did a CC Cabin Crawl of everyone's cabins. This will give you a good look at all the different types.

Let us know what you decide! You'll LOVE the Noordam.

[Sea Island Lady]

We love being able to watch the approach and the departures of the ports, from the privacy of our balcony.;)

[babyher]

Another vote for the balcony .:)

 

 

Its just a really nice private little area to watch the sea go by, or coming into port, or just sit and relax.

[Cruiser809e8r09]

My wife and I will be first time cruisers in December. I too agonized over the price difference. In the end I thought: how much is a dream come true experience like a Caribbean cruise worth to you? We signed up for a balcony. Our TA said we made the right choice and that after having one, we would never want anything else.

[hammybee]

Christina.

It does depend on what you want from a cruise. If you're on a port intensive sailing you may be off the ship alot so who cares. But if you want to sail into those ports enjoying your morning coffee or evening cocktail in private then a balcony is wonderful.

 

The exchange rate for USD is at an all time low and so anything and everything you do off the ship is going to cost you a lot more than it ever has. The intinerary is very port intensive and more than likely you will be spending the majority of your awake time off the ship. I am seeing $600+ p/p differences in the cost between an outside and a balcony on some of the Noordam sails. If it were me and I wanted to watch my money, I would opt for the outside cabin and spend the difference in port, seeing, doing or eating something fabulous, somewhere.

[George W. Bush]

This is a decision that needs to be made based on your perception of value. I, for one, consider cruising to be a "2nd choice" vacation that has good value because of its relative cheapness compared to the other alternatives. I therefore will book only inside cabins because I'd take a different sort of vacation before I spent the extra money on a balcony.

 

It really is up to the individual, and their own thoughts and opinions.

[donaldsc]

IMHO - no. However, you need to decide whether you want to spend you money on outside space or something else.

 

DON

[PathfinderEss]

My wife and I will be first time cruisers in December. I too agonized over the price difference. In the end I thought: how much is a dream come true experience like a Caribbean cruise worth to you? We signed up for a balcony. Our TA said we made the right choice and that after having one, we would never want anything else.

Exactly, that's why you should book a balcony, because it is a dream come true, you won't regret getting the balcony. Watching the sunset, or sunrise, listening to the waves lapping against the ship from your own private balcony is a dream come true.

[brucory]

Christina.

It does depend on what you want from a cruise. If you're on a port intensive sailing you may be off the ship alot so who cares. But if you want to sail into those ports enjoying your morning coffee or evening cocktail in private then a balcony is wonderful. I took my mother on the Noordam last year to Alaska. I told her we had a nice cabin but didn't tell her until we checked in that was actually had a suite with all the Neptune Lounge perks etc...She was very pleasantly surprised and really enjoyed being pampered all week long. This was her on the balcony as she read the letter that told her everything included in the suite.

There are also alot of pictures of other Noordam cabins, from inside to out to aft and suites on my Alaska gallery below as we did a CC Cabin Crawl of everyone's cabins. This will give you a good look at all the different types.

Let us know what you decide! You'll LOVE the Noordam.

 

Your pics were the best review I have seen on here. I cant imagine why anyone would not want a balcony after seeing your gallery. Even though it was cold, how convenient it must have been to nip out and get the fresh air whenever you wanted. The best thing about your pics was that it was obvious that everyone was having a ball. Our upcoming cruise to Alaska is also in May and after having read some posts on CC, I thought it was all going to be doom and gloom due the weather. Obviously that is not the case.... If we have half as much fun as you all appeared to have it will be a super vacation. thankyou for sharing your pics...:D :D :D

[Krazy Kruizers]

We love our verandahs and use them quite a bit. Nice place to watch when you are approaching or leaving a port. Great quite place for relaxation.

 

Pinnacle Grill - love it - eat there quite a bit.

[EastCoast]

Another vote for the verandah-It certainly adds to the overall cruise experience

[silvercruiser]

It sometimes depends on just what the cost difference is. We love the privacy of our balcony, especially if sailing on a very large ship. For places we've been to many times, like the Caribbean, it doesn't make all that much difference, but for more exotic itineraries, like the Med or Australia, we definitely need the balcony. Sometimes there are price reductions that make even a mini-suite a good deal. On others, like HAL's Veendam or Maasdam, an OV on the verandah deck suits us just fine, as we found the price difference we paid in the past for a balcony on each of these two ships was a bit out of our comfort zone.

Some of the newer ships have what I consider "affordable" balconies and I'd book them every time.

I also think it depends on how often you cruise. We do about 75-80 days a year, so our priorities might be different from someone else's.

[silvercruiser]

I meant the Lower Promenade deck on Veendam and Maasdam, where the OV cabins suit us just fine.

[Suitegurl]

Christina - Having done both outside and balcony, I now can't imagine not being able to step outside on my own balcony when coming into port which is often early in the morning before I am dressed and ready to meet my fellow passengers. ;) We usually turn in an order for beverages and pastries from room service the night before so I can just throw on my robe, take my room service tray out on the balcony and enjoy the view of whatever port we are approaching. I figure I can sleep late at home (or on sea days). Also, it is a good place for your Dad to sit and enjoy the view while you are getting ready for dinner. But as someone else posted, once you sail in a balcony cabin, it is hard to give them up. When all is said and done, it really is personal preference and how you choose to spend your hard earned dollars. Whichever you decide on, have a wonderful cruise!

[Bodger]

Going for a balcony for us was a big mistake. Life was good and outside cabins were reasonably priced. Then we had a balcony. Now Mrs. Bodger won't sail without a balcony. You can't go back. It is a slippery slope, the song of the siren.:eek:

 

Don't be lured by the sea air, the breakfast on the balcony, watching the stars, arrivals, departures, they are all there to part you from your hard earned dollars.:D ;)

 

Bodger

[Djptcp]

DH and I love having a balcony and can easily justify the cost. I'm an early riser and enjoy sitting on the balcony as the ship enters port. I love the fresh air and it's so relaxing just to sit out there and have a cocktail or two in the late afternoon. DH enjoys a good cigar out on the balcony and reading. It's just nice to open your cabin door and go outside without having to walk a long way to find an exit out onto a deck. Convenient.

 

We did a last minute cruise on an older Royal Caribbean ship and had a very small miniscule inside cabin on the lowest deck. I'm usually not claustrophobic, but I woke up one night and actually had to open the cabin door and go out into the hallway. No more inside cabins for me, but I know alot of people really enjoy them. Like everything else with cruising, it's all a matter of personal taste and how you want to use the cabin.

 

Enjoy the Mediterranean and have a wonderful cruise!

[KemahMom]

Sakedad -

 

Thanks for the wonderful preview of our upcoming cruise in June. We will be on the Oosterdam for our 1st ever cruise. Can't wait!

[O2B@C]

One question you asked has not been answered: Is HAL a good choice for first time cruisers? My answer would be yes, unless they are looking for a "fun ship," "get out there," all-night-party type of experience (which probably doesn't apply to your father). The cabins are larger than comparable cabins on other lines, with wonderful beds and baths; the ships are elegant, not overly glitzy; the service is excellent; the food is generally very good; and the atmosphere is classy and relaxing without being stuffy. My DH had grave doubts about cruising before our Westerdam cruise last fall, but he had a wonderful time, and by the end of the week, he had enthusiastically agreed to put down a deposit for an Alaska cruise this summer.

 

As for the balcony, I would say it's probably worth it, depending on how much of a stretch it is for your budget, and what your reasons for taking the cruise are. On a Caribbean cruise, where your goal is to relax and get some sun; on your honeymoon or anniversary, where you want maximum privacy; or on an itinerary where you will be cruising past lots of wonderful scenery, then probably yes. However, on a Mediterranean cruise, if your main goal is to see the ports and experience as much of Europe as you can from the ship, then maybe not. Hammybee's point about saving your money for in-port activities makes a lot of sense in that context. HAL ships have a lot of public outdoor deck space for when you want to see scenery, and if you don't mind having to get dressed early as the price of watching the ship come into port, the tradeoff might be worth it for the money you save by getting an OV instead of a veranda.

[cruisun]

Christina.

It does depend on what you want from a cruise. If you're on a port intensive sailing you may be off the ship alot so who cares. But if you want to sail into those ports enjoying your morning coffee or evening cocktail in private then a balcony is wonderful. I took my mother on the Noordam last year to Alaska. I told her we had a nice cabin but didn't tell her until we checked in that was actually had a suite with all the Neptune Lounge perks etc...She was very pleasantly surprised and really enjoyed being pampered all week long. This was her on the balcony as she read the letter that told her everything included in the suite.

There are also alot of pictures of other Noordam cabins, from inside to out to aft and suites on my Alaska gallery below as we did a CC Cabin Crawl of everyone's cabins. This will give you a good look at all the different types.

Let us know what you decide! You'll LOVE the Noordam.

 

THANK YOU!! I FEEL LIKE I WAS JUST BACK ON THE NOORDAM AGAIN! WOW!! REGARDING THE ORIGINAL QUESTION, IMHO, A BALCONY IS THE ONLY OPTION.

[SakeDad]

Thanks! Glad you all enjoyed the pics:D I know I certainly enjoy looking back on them. I can always be on a ship just by putting on my slideshow. The Noordam really was a wonderful trip and everyone onboard had a wonderful time...at least everyone I came in contact with;)

[localady]

Going for a balcony for us was a big mistake. Life was good and outside cabins were reasonably priced. Then we had a balcony. Now Mrs. Bodger won't sail without a balcony. You can't go back. It is a slippery slope, the song of the siren.:eek:

 

Don't be lured by the sea air, the breakfast on the balcony, watching the stars, arrivals, departures, they are all there to part you from your hard earned dollars.:D ;)

 

Bodger

 

That indeed is my problem. First cruise was in the Med without a Balcony, and it was lovely, I didn't know how much better it could be.:D

After that we were upgraded and I have never gone back. I've had suites to minisuites to Veranda cabins and I loved them one and all.

I can't say I will "never" book a non-veranda cabin, but I really don't see it happening anytime soon!;)

[GeriatricNurse]

Another vote for the balcony .:)

 

 

Its just a really nice private little area to watch the sea go by, or coming into port, or just sit and relax.

 

 

Also a great venue for smokers as well as nonsmokers who enjoy the healthy benefits of inhaling second-hand sidestream smoke from other smokers on their balconies "upwind"

Hopefully, HAL will soon come to their collective senses & ban smoking from ALL staterooms, including balconies!