Large Oceanview vs. Balcony GTY

[angie54751]

We will be sailing the Indy on Jan 24th. Currently we are in a category F....large oceanview room. They are 200 sq ft so fairly roomy. I see now that we could get a balcony gty for basically the same price. Rooms are a little smaller (177 sq ft) but have the balcony. We have only had a balcony once and it was nice but didn't use it a whole lot ( I liked it better than my DH). The other concern that my DH has is that with a gty you never know where you are going to end up on the ship. He is the kind of guy that like "know" as many details as he can. I'm more of a fly by the seat of your pants, don't matter where they put me, gonna have good time type. Anyway, what would you choose and why??

[cb at sea]

If you're not concerned about the balcony, keep what you have, if you like the location. Why risk being put somewhere you may hate, especially if your hubby is "picky" about location?

Now, if the balcony would really make the cruise for you, go ahead with the Gty--there aren't any "bad" balconies, but hubby may not like being all the way at the front of the ship, for instance!

[PSCruiser]

For the same price, I'd go with the balcony GTY - here's why:

 

1. at 177 I think the useful space in the balcony will be about the same. This is because in the outside (with joined bed), the "wasted space" is the bed plus the two "aisles", where in a balcony it is just the bed plus the little space next to the balcony.

 

2. I always figure that a GTY isn't any big deal - just like a hotel where you don't know your room ahead of time. Is there really any bad balcony on a Freedom class?

 

3. Just having the balcony makes space - DH can be out there reading and not in the way when you're getting dressed, etc.

 

4. Much better view!

[DonnaK]

I agree with the above posters. In a hotel, you don't know your room number in advance. There aren't any bad balcony cabins on this ship. I think that for the same price, it is well worth the risk to go with the guarantee. Even if you don't use the balcony so much, it's still nice to be able to open the curtains and look outside.

[piercetc4]

we would pick the bal gty in a heart beat-

i like to be able to walk outside and see the view- dh does as well-

[angie54751]

The other prob my DH has with a gty is "what if" we are above or below a noisy area of the ship. Do you hear a lot of the excess noise?? I told him we are usually so worn out from the sun and fun that nothing keeps us awake. He told me he doesn't want me pouting so if a balcony is what I want then to just do it...hehe:D

[GlenandVal]

with a gty once you are asigned a cabin in a catagory you can always see if there are any other rooms open and ask to move within same classified, A balcony any where is way better then a oceanview never mind having one outside while the other is getting dressed we had a ocean view gty one on a b2b the first leg we were in the middle so nice window the second leg we were right across from the lower area of the threatre and that wasnt the problem what was the window had a foot approx of space to see out it was basically not much useful

 

now that we are diamond Id go for a Bal every time

 

any where preferrable in middle

[firefly333]

Id probably change for the same money. We did the OV on Voyager and it had one of the largest windows Iv ever seen on any OV, nice view, but we probably would have enjoyed a balcony just as much. My sister should cruise with your DH, she doesnt care about looking out much less about sitting out on a balcony. Id be out there by myself.

 

To me the fresh air would be nice, but I agree its not a make or break decision, both would be nice. I am not that picky about location, so any balcony would be fine with me.

[cruisePRN]

Keep in mind that people are allowed to smoke on their balconies so if you're next door neighbor smokes you won't enjoy that balcony. Starboard side of the ship allows smoking so many smokers pick that side because they can merely go outside on deck and be on their smoking side of the ship. I wouldn't want a star board balcony for that reason.

[Toddcan]

Keep in mind that people are allowed to smoke on their balconies so if you're next door neighbor smokes you won't enjoy that balcony. Starboard side of the ship allows smoking so many smokers pick that side because they can merely go outside on deck and be on their smoking side of the ship. I wouldn't want a star board balcony for that reason.

 

Just to clarify (for myself too). All balconies allow smoking.. both port and starboard balconies, right? It's just up on the deck that allows smoking on the starboard side. Would smoke from those smoking up on the deck actually make it's way onto the balconies several (few?) decks below? Unless you have a hyper-sensitivity to smoke, I wonder if this is really a problem?

[angie54751]

Being by someone who smoked would be a downside.....this is something to consider. Has anyone had it totally ruin their vacation by being exposed to someone who smoked in the next balcony??

[angie54751]

Actually, now that I'm pondering it more. Even if we did have a smoker by us...worst case senario we don't have our balcony door open when they are out there and it would be just like having an outside room. I guess when it is the same price I think I should consider going for it. And, I guess I should quit pondering so long or will lose out anyway :p