is balcony or jr suite worth it on grandeur?

[xcarebearxoxo]

hi everyone, hubby and i are booking nov 14 09 from b-more to bermuda and just wanted to know if it is worth booking a balcony or jr suite. always had inside rooms and wanted to see if it was worth to splurge. we are not in our room alot so that is smething to consider, but it might be nice to drink a bottle of wine and watch the sunset from our balcony :D

thanks for the answers

[bigasufan]

We've had a balcony on the Grandeur and it is definitely worth it. She is a fine ship.

[cb at sea]

Cruising without a balcony is like going to a beach resort and overlooking the parking lot, IMO! At least a balcony, if not the JS!

[suekay]

I love to have a balcony, but always look at the difference in price. I find that on the smaller ships such as Grandeur, the balconies are much more expensive so (reluctantly) settle for OV or inside. The difference in price is often the cost of another cruise

[Gonzo70]

If you are not in your room a lot it probably makes sense to save the money (or use it for something else on your trip) and stick with an inside; especially if the balcony is significantly more money. Although I enjoy balconies, I think they are overrated. On many cruises they are around $100 extra per day per person which to me seems kind of steep for having a small little private outdoor area. There are so many public areas on the ship with great views of the sea.

[Tanker4]

If price is and overriding factor, then go with and inside or OV, otherwise at least a balcony, and a JS is really nice due to the extra room (both cabin and balcony). We have had JS's twice on the Grandeur and have another one booked for a 10 day on her this coming Dec. If you've had a balcony before then you know what they are like. If not, it will open up a whole new side of cruising.:) The only problem with that, is that it's hard to ever go back to cruising without one.

[hardingk]

We sailed on the Legend and Enchantment (sister ships) and had JS both times. The Balcony cabin was so much smaller. We were glad we did it on Legend as we were on an 11 night Hawaii cruise and we really enjoyed all of the extra space in the cabin and the bath tub!!

[Susie22]

If you can manage a balcony, I would go for it! Pretty much doubles your living space, and there's nothing like sitting out there in the evening watching the moon over the water with your special person! ;)

[SANDY823]

and my favorite thing of all - sleeping with the balcony door open,and listening to the ocean all night long !

[basketsuze]

Having cruised on the Grandeur three times now, and having stayed in an Inside, an OV, and a Balcony, here are my thoughts:

 

- If you smoke, then the Balcony or Suite is the way to go, since you cannot smoke in your stateroom (don't "BOO" me, please!)

 

- I'm constantly surprised when people say they aren't in their stateroom very much. Well, if you're a middle-aged-but-still-concerned-about-appearance-hanging-on-but-losing-the-battle-with-gravity-female who observes the dinner dress code, it turns out - - you spend a LOT of time in the stateroom! Here's a typical stop at a port: Get up, put on swimsuit & casual clothes for snorkling shore excursion. Go on shore excursion, come back, take a shower, get cleaned up, and head up to the Windjammer for a bite. Have a few drinks at the pool bar....GEEZ it is ever HOT up here! I'm all sticky and sweaty. Whoops! It's time to get ready for dinner. Go back to room, shower again, clean up again, change clothes AGAIN....do you see what I'm saying, here? DH estimates that on a typical port day I'm probably spending 2 1/2 to 3 hours in the stateroom. So, in my case, (and I'm sure many other ladies as well), it is not accurate to say I'm only in there to sleep! For me, the extra space of a Balcony room is worth it!!

 

-When considering a Balcony, think about what time of year you're cruising! In 2006 we were on the Grandeur in a Balcony, leaving from Baltimore. Ernesto was coming up the coast while we were sailing down the coast. For the first day or so it was so windy it seemed downright dangerous to go out there, so we didn't use the balcony. Even without a TS or Hurricane, it can get windy out there at night.

 

- The Balcony adds extra living space to the stateroom, so when one person is getting ready, the other person can be sitting outside with a cold drink looking at the scenery!

 

We LOVE the Grandeur and are thinking about taking the 9-night Eastern Caribbean out of Baltimore next year. For us, it's the Balcony all the way!!

Note that on our upcoming Liberty cruise we've booked a JS. Hopefully we won't get spoiled!!

 

Suze!

[cruisePRN]

Of course it's worth it but can you afford it? We all have different values and wants and you have to decide what's a good fit for you. I would personally stay home before I'd sail in an inside cabin but any upper deck ocean view would work for me.

[EGG]

If you have to ask the question, it is not worth it. Save your money. If you are not in your room alot, you can find a wonderful place in a public area to watch the sunset and enjoy a drink and you won't be disappointed if your cabin is on the opposite side of the ship from the sunset.

 

We were like you and splurged on a balcony for a Panama Canal cruise. I still regret the $1,000 (each) we spent for the 30 minutes we spent on the cramped balcony. Personally, I would prefer to spend my money on another cruise, or a plasma TV that I will enjoy every day for the next 10 years.

 

That being said, if you are interested in a balcony I would watch the price every day next year and maybe the discount fairy will visit and the price will go down.

[otisishere]

We have been on sister ship Enchantment and I would never think of sailing without some sort of balcony. We actually splurged and went with the Grande Suite and we were unexpectedly upgraded to Owner's Suite. What a wonderful surprise! It adds so much to your cruise experience when you can step outside and feel the wind on your face and sit and watch the water from the privacy of our own room. We also keep the door open slightly while in the cabin just to hear the water, very relaxing. We go on vacation to be pampered and there is no better way than to be in a suite. It's just heaven. IMHO.:)

[pjlee3333]

I love a balcony on the Grandeur but also consider the time of year you are traveling. If you like things on the cooler side you can enjoy sitting outside. If you like things warm, like me, the balcony for this cruise isn't as important, especially if you don't spend much time in your room.

 

If you can afford it and it was to the Caribbean, I'd say go for it. In Bermuda you're going to be in port when the weather is warmer.

[Jfultz81]

Personally, after looking at the cruise you are booking.. I wouldn't spend $999/pp for a 5 day cruise. I know Bermuda is a bit more expensive, but considering that we're paying about that much for an 8 day on the Indy, I don't think its worth it - JMHO :)

[tacbets21]

Just had a balcony on the Grandeur and really enjoyed it. But of course it depends on your own preferences. While it is true that there are many public spaces from which to see the views, if you are the kind of person who likes a lot of quiet/private time, then you might really enjoy a balcony. I like the public spaces, but it is nice sometimes to hang out and enjoy the view in private. It was especially nice to go out on the balcony at night and look at the stars. Also want to point out that while you may not have typically spent much time in the cabin in the past, if you have a space that you enjoy, you might find you spend more time there. Sometimes the pool areas get quite crowded- my husband and I thought it was nice to have a little bit of outdoor space to call our own.

 

Enjoy your cruise- I wish I were planning another one!

[rubrrick]

We have been on sister ship Enchantment and I would never think of sailing without some sort of balcony. We actually splurged and went with the Grande Suite and we were unexpectedly upgraded to Owner's Suite. What a wonderful surprise! It adds so much to your cruise experience when you can step outside and feel the wind on your face and sit and watch the water from the privacy of our own room. We also keep the door open slightly while in the cabin just to hear the water, very relaxing. We go on vacation to be pampered and there is no better way than to be in a suite. It's just heaven. IMHO.:)

 

 

So.........the question is.........can you go back???:D :D

 

Rick

[AllieInMD]

And there is always The Balcony Club! :eek:

 

 

hi everyone, hubby and i are booking nov 14 09 from b-more to bermuda and just wanted to know if it is worth booking a balcony or jr suite. always had inside rooms and wanted to see if it was worth to splurge. we are not in our room alot so that is smething to consider, but it might be nice to drink a bottle of wine and watch the sunset from our balcony :D

thanks for the answers

[sailawayjack]

hi everyone, hubby and i are booking nov 14 09 from b-more to bermuda and just wanted to know if it is worth booking a balcony or jr suite. always had inside rooms and wanted to see if it was worth to splurge. we are not in our room alot so that is smething to consider, but it might be nice to drink a bottle of wine and watch the sunset from our balcony :D

thanks for the answers

 

:cool: My first seven cruises were spent in insides. I could never justify spending the extra money, telling my self that I do not spend that much time in my room. I would rather apply that extra money to excursions or drinks. HOWEVER---The I took a Southern Carib on Seranade, and got a corner AFT as a treat for my 30th anniversery. A whole new world opened up for me. Coffee on your balcony before breakfast. Afternoon happy hour on your deck. Listening to the waves. Not fighting the crowds up on deck. Cruise to Alaska, I still have AFT corner, but have now upgraded to JS.

 

If you can afford it--try an D1 for a change. If you cannot, don't do it. You can never go back.:cool: