BEWARE...Booking a balcony or a suite

[Terry King]

BEWARE.....once you book a balcony or a suite , all your future cruises will be expensive...we booked a suite for our honeymoon and now my husband will not have anything less.....so if you have never booked one then you never miss what you never had.....

 

booked on conquest for Jan 2 cat. 11.......go figure

[Snowball]

So true!!! We booked a balcony for our 2nd cruise, and hubby refuses to sail without a balcony now - not that I mind, of course. :D

[newbie2cruise]

I havent booked one yet on purpose!!! Of course maybe if I did I would eat less :)

[PollyNJ]

I think it should beware don't book a cruise. Once you go on one there must be another and another and another

[hstrybuf]

So true!!! We booked a balcony for our 2nd cruise, and hubby refuses to sail without a balcony now - not that I mind, of course. :D

This is exactly what happened to us! Of course, I am of the same opinion as my DH. Thank heavens someone warned us about booking a suite! :D

[Cathys Cruising]

And this is supposed to be a bad thing? :p I tell DH I'm worth it and he agrees. He's worth it too!

[kajsb]

I took my mother on my 1st cruise. It was her 1st too. Because she was 78 at the time I decided to get a balcony. Because of her age and health, I knew she would spend more than the average time in the room and the balcony would allow her to rest and enjoy the ocean at the same time. Plus, I thought how many times would I again have the opportunity to take my wonderful mother on a cruise? Well, that sold me on a balcony.

 

But, now thanks to cruise critic, I learned about the wonders of an aft cabin with a wrap around balcony. :D ;) Now, I want nothing less. Even if I have to cruise less often, it will be worth it to save for this type of cabin.

 

I was able to take my mother on another cruise this year for her 80th birthday. It was the same ship (Ecstasy) but a 4-day instead of 3-day. We had the balcony again. I just don't know if I would be happy sailing without one. :confused:

[waterbound]

I know the feeling.. We have always booked an inside cabin.. Last April we were upgraded from inside to oceanview and I dont think I can ever go back to an inside now.. I loved the oceanview so much that our cruise in March is a balcony!! It is our first balcony and I really am afraid that we will love it so much that we will never be able to do anything other than balcony!! :0) This is a really big splurge for us so not sure in future if we will be able to do balcony but hoping in future we can at least do an oceanview...

[kandps100]

I havent booked one yet on purpose!!! Of course maybe if I did I would eat less :)

ummm...eat less? LOL NEVER! :)

 

We started with the staterooms with the window for our honeymoon and 1st anniversary cruise....but once we did balcony for our second anniversary cruise...well...there was no going back from there...LOL....and we talked with a few others who've cruised who've expressed that....

[schpsych]

My first cruise was an inside cabin. We went with 6 other couples who all had ocean views. Our last cruise was a junior suite. Now i'm bumbed because our cruise for next summer is ONLY a balcony on the Pride, and not the extended one at that!!!!!!!!

[Correia_Cruiser]

Now I'm a little nervous because we booked a balcony (extended) for our first cruise!! :p For future cruises, to save $$, what about booking an obstructed view balcony? Those of you that have had these types of views, are they VERY obstructed? Also, I'm learning about the "guarantee" rate, and know that if we chose this option, we could get a better view. Let me hear some of your expert opinions!!

[CoachTerry14]

Traveling in a "Suite" is just so "sweet"...It is the only way to cruise! :)

[MrPete]

Oh LORD. There's nothing remotely enjoyable as cruising with a balcony. Well worth the extra money, especially when you shop around and find they are only pennies more than an OV on the "balcony" ships.

[carnivaljunkie]

After 15 cruises I don't agree that you can't go back. We have had all clasifications of cabins and the last cruise we were back to an inside 4A and loved the cruise. We probably spent less time in the 4A than in the balcony or suite and had a lot more fun with ship activities. The nice thing is you can afford more 4A cabins than 11s. If the $399 for a seven day 4A shows up again I"ll be back in steerage. Dean

[steveaaaa]

BEWARE.....once you book a balcony or a suite , all your future cruises will be expensive...we booked a suite for our honeymoon and now my husband will not have anything less.....so if you have never booked one then you never miss what you never had.....

 

booked on conquest for Jan 2 cat. 11.......go figure

I would rather vacation more in lesser accomidations.

 

I have had the owners suite all the way down to bunk beds and I prefer an inside cabin only for the cost. I take 2 cruises and 2 land vacations a year and spending an extra $600 for a balcony is not worth it to me. I do like them but even when I do have one, I do not spend an hour on it for a whole week.

Steve

[MrPete]

I tried the "lesser accomodations" once, and felt like I was traveling in steerage. I wouldn't accept a hotel room without a window, nor a stateroom.

 

The $ difference between OV and BG is usually minimal, if you look around.

 

IMHO

[Peanuts]

We booked a balcony on our second cruise and loved it. Booked a suite for our third cruise (Anniversary) and have booked nothing less since. Oh Boy! What have we done, what have we done!

[steveaaaa]

I tried the "lesser accomodations" once, and felt like I was traveling in steerage. I wouldn't accept a hotel room without a window, nor a stateroom.

 

The $ difference between OV and BG is usually minimal, if you look around.

 

IMHO

In the summer it is about $400-$600 more

Winter $300-$400

 

But the IN to BG is....summer $500-$800

Winter $400+

 

I have 4 passengers. Where can you find it less for sailings out of FL.Yes I know TX,PR, and LA are cheaper but I get hit on airfare.

 

I use reward points for upgrades and discounts as well and there are some restrictions.

 

Steve

[cyndepet]

1st cruise - oceanview (upgrade fairy)

2nd cruise - balcony

3rd cruise - suite (upgrade fairy)

4th cruise - balcony - extended aft

5th cruise - balcony

6th cruise - Cruise in 3 days - booked a 1A guarantee :eek: - looks like an inside on Verandah

7th cruise - upcoming - booked a mini suite guarantee

 

So, I'll have to let you know how it is going from great outside and balcony cabins to an inside - we don't plan on spending much time in the cabin this cruise, so I don't think it will really matter. And booking as a 1A guarantee, this was a VERY inexpensive cruise for us!

[PINEVIEW01]

1st cruise - oceanview (upgrade fairy)

2nd cruise - oceaniew

3rd cruise - balcony

4th cruise - Cat. 12 suite (upgrade fairy)

5th cruise - Cat. 12 suite (upgrade fairy)

6th cruise - booked a 4A guarantee :eek: & got it, hated it

7th cruise - oceaniew (changed from 4A after getting back from above cruise:) )

8th cruise - balcony QTY and already to BC (Princess)

9th cruise - booked a OVG, Changes to Balcony QTY already for $100 more PP

[Shadowfyre]

LOL you know I was worried about this - our first balcony cruise is in 11 days - I have a bad feeling we will be hooked -kinda like we are with cruising now.

[MusicMan]

I guess we're the exception that most "rules" seem to have. Our first cruise was booked via a group of friends who were all getting balcony cabins, so our very first cruise was with a balcony. The next cruise was all family and we were trying to save money so moved to an ocean view. The next cruise was a last minute 4 night anniversary cruise and we booked an inside cabin. It seems (for us) the more we cruised the more we realized that so little time is spent in the room, and most of that time is showering, changing clothes and sleeping that the additional money didn't make any sense at all (once again FOR US). I can understand how those who spend long periods of time in the cabin would want more, but it just makes more sense to us to do TWO "inside cabin" cruises vs ONE "balcony" cruise.

[Littlegoo75]

I think we're in trouble. We booked a Balcony for the 12 night European cruise on the Liberty. After this cruise, I don't think we'll be ever to sail on anything but a brand new ship, and book anything but a balcony, or do a short cruise. Oh well. You only live once. Why not?

[steveaaaa]

I guess we're the exception that most "rules" seem to have. Our first cruise was booked via a group of friends who were all getting balcony cabins, so our very first cruise was with a balcony. The next cruise was all family and we were trying to save money so moved to an ocean view. The next cruise was a last minute 4 night anniversary cruise and we booked an inside cabin. It seems (for us) the more we cruised the more we realized that so little time is spent in the room, and most of that time is showering, changing clothes and sleeping that the additional money didn't make any sense at all (once again FOR US). I can understand how those who spend long periods of time in the cabin would want more, but it just makes more sense to us to do TWO "inside cabin" cruises vs ONE "balcony" cruise.

My thoughts exactly I could not have said it any better!

Steve

[cruzzza]

My stateroom history has been pretty weird, even though I haven't been on many cruises:

 

1st cruise - L-shaped balcony with double sized verandah and real queen bed

2nd cruise - Square shaped inside

3rd & 4th - regular OV's

 

After going from a double sized balcony to an inside, I decided that unless it was a LOT cheaper, I'd never book inside again. I need that view! If I did go back, I'd want the square shaped inside again. I really loved the balcony, but I'd rather cruise more often than pay hundreds more for the verandah. Now, if the difference between OV & balcony happened to be small (around $100pp max), I'd definately get the balcony!