Aft balcony (not wrap around) or "Normal" balcony?

[butterflycruise]

We had an aft on the Valor last year and LOVED it! Are booked for one again on Pride this Aug. That room and view did spoil us... will be hard to go back. I am glad it is not for everyone... I'll trade a little soot and a little less privacy for the bigger balcony and spectacular views. We had a lounger, two chairs and a small table (all metal and mesh). From the pictures it looks like Pride has plastic??? Can anyone tell me if they have lounge chairs on aft balconies on the Pride?

[kwilliams137]

Based on a few pictures I think I would be concerned about privacy... I picture a bunch of kids in the room next to me poking their heads around the 1/2 privacy wall..... maybe I am just paranoid....

[HawaiiFiveOh]

I am really looking forward to my "disgusting" vacation with an Aft balcony cabin :D:p

 

My first balcony.

 

I cannot imagine the horror of having people around me while I sit outside having a coffee and (dare I say it??????) a cigarette in the morning....OMG

 

THATS IT!!! I will keep the peepers away by having a lot of cigarettes out there! :eek:

 

j/k about whatever might upset anyone in the above.

[Le Cruiser]

Heirloom;

 

What's the problem here? You stated your opinion and backed it up with photos. I stated my opinion and related MY experience. I didn't belittle you or your opinion, I didn't say you were wrong, I said nothing negative. So why the attack? When we were on our balcony, the people above us looked down at us, waved hello and talked to us. The people on the side of us didn't have to "turkey neck", they simply leaned over the side "barrier" a little bit. You have your opinion on aft balconies and that's fine, I respect (and respected) that, you choose not to book them. And as I clearly stated, we will be trying one for the first time, so we may or may not like them. BUT - your posting attacking me and my opinion, and experience, is out of line, in MY opinion. I don't see the need to engage in a p***ing contest because you don't agree with me. Happy cruises to you anyway.

[BlackHullSailor]

My wife and I had our first cruise last November on the Legend. We had 8272 (aft balcony). Most of what everyone has said good and bad is possibly true. We loved the balcony. Yes you do hear the neighbors and we did hear people sometimes at the rail on the Lido deck above. Yes there is the noise of the wash of the ship, that puts me to sleep. Yes it can get warm. Our last day, the sun was behind the ship all day and it was very hot out there. The solution: up one deck, get in the pool or grab a beer. Our neighbors, friends traveling with us on one side and a very nice couple from Florida on the other side. We actually had some very nice chats over coffee and around the divider a couple of mornings.

 

Bottom Line: It could be good/could be bad but isn't that life. And it's only for a few days and it's not like there's nothing else to do. If in doubt, please don't book a balcony, leave it to me, I'll suffer back there for the "benefit of all". Booked an aft balcony on Miracle in November:):):)

[PhotoPete]

We had soot issues on our Legend cruise back in 2008. The privacy was good enough for my wife to sunbathe topless, which keep me out on the balcony. It does get hot since there is little breeze while the ship is underway.

[czimm]

It was definitely hot on our aft balcony, and I could see our neighbors when I stood at the railing, but I never felt like anyone was encroaching on our privacy. I adored the aft view, backing into port in the morning was worth every extra penny. It will be difficult to book an inside or side balcony ever again! For our next trip, we booked the 9a aft wrap! I can't wait! It was not worse in a storm, and the motion in the back kind of rocked us to sleep at night. We did not find the Verandah aft to be noisy either, and had no soot issues.

 

Whatever you choose, I'm sure you will enjoy your cruise!

[Heirloom]

Heirloom;

 

What's the problem here? You stated your opinion and backed it up with photos. I stated my opinion and related MY experience. I didn't belittle you or your opinion, I didn't say you were wrong, I said nothing negative. So why the attack? When we were on our balcony, the people above us looked down at us, waved hello and talked to us. The people on the side of us didn't have to "turkey neck", they simply leaned over the side "barrier" a little bit. You have your opinion on aft balconies and that's fine, I respect (and respected) that, you choose not to book them. And as I clearly stated, we will be trying one for the first time, so we may or may not like them. BUT - your posting attacking me and my opinion, and experience, is out of line, in MY opinion. I don't see the need to engage in a p***ing contest because you don't agree with me. Happy cruises to you anyway.

 

 

Le Cruiser !

 

No attack intended.....but the OP wants to know the differences.....and you're implying that she may be subject to privacy invasion with Std Balcony !

Somehow you experienced something that is virtually not possible on the Carnival Fleet standard balconies. We've had 3 of 'em, and the attached thumbnail shows Aft vs. Std. in terms of privacy.

 

The std one.......have drawn an arrow.......shows the WORST possible intrusion of privacy from balcony cabin above.......at WORST they can see (maybe) your railing. (Unless he has a gangplank 6 feet long that he's got nailed to HIS railing).

 

The other arrow points to the divider EXTENSION that has privacy as it's goal. A highly bendable 3 foot neck MIGHT be able to go around it and peek into your balcony. But how many people have those ?

 

Whatever standard balcony you had.......might have been on an OLD or other-than-Carnival ship....OP will not be getting one with that worry.

 

So here's what a comparison looks like in MY mind and experience:

[roadshow69]

LMAO!! For some reason I'm finding this thread quite amusing.

[DFW Airwolf]

Well personally if you want to GAWK at your neighbor & look over to my balcony then you will get what you deserve. A view of a 40+ year old Fat Man. Not a pretty sight.

 

So consider this FAIR WARNING !!!!

[BBigfoot613]

Le Cruiser !

 

No attack intended.....but the OP wants to know the differences.....and you're implying that she may be subject to privacy invasion with Std Balcony !

Somehow you experienced something that is virtually not possible on the Carnival Fleet standard balconies. We've had 3 of 'em, and the attached thumbnail shows Aft vs. Std. in terms of privacy.

 

The std one.......have drawn an arrow.......shows the WORST possible intrusion of privacy from balcony cabin above.......at WORST they can see (maybe) your railing. (Unless he has a gangplank 6 feet long that he's got nailed to HIS railing).

 

The other arrow points to the divider EXTENSION that has privacy as it's goal. A highly bendable 3 foot neck MIGHT be able to go around it and peek into your balcony. But how many people have those ?

 

Whatever standard balcony you had.......might have been on an OLD or other-than-Carnival ship....OP will not be getting one with that worry.

 

So here's what a comparison looks like in MY mind and experience:

 

 

Although everyone is entitled to their OPINION.... I know what Le Cruiser posted IS in fact correct. I too agree that anyone that's wishing to can and infact WILL look around the corner. It may be uncomfortable and it may be awkward but it CAN be done. Also if you look on here, there's a thread of some nitwitted youngsters playing pranks on people. They "iced" the neighbor below them's balcony. In the video it SHOWS the balcony below them. You may not be able to see as much of it as you can with an extended aft but you still CAN see it. I'll be on my first aft balcony this summer and I'll be ok with nosey neighbors. Way I look at it, god gave me what I have and if others want to gawk and go blind then that's THEIR problem LOL

[djwood24]

After 3 Carnival trips with side balconies......in a friendly way.....I have no idea WHAT you're talking about !

 

Somebody looking DOWN into a side balcony......never heard of this, and it might be physically impossible unless somebody was holding them by their ankles !

 

Same views of people ? No way ! ALL we EVER saw, depending how the sun was shining....was a rare grey "shadow" of somebody on other side of the non see-through divider.

 

We NEVER had anybody with a turkey-length neck try to bend around the full-size top-to-bottom divider to look at us. In addition, all Carnival standard balconies have a privacy EXTENDER that goes out and over the top of the railing !

 

Aft may have "larger" balconies, sure ! But you can't use the railing half without strangers right up alongside you........like being in a New York

subway train to us !

 

Or looking DOWN on you.....or you looking DOWN on others 'cause the ships's front and back rooms are slanted front and back......na, we like straight up and down.....hey, I didn't take those picks ! Somebody who wasn't happy with their un-private Aft balcony did ! And his pics are very clear in terms of his discontent !! And we THANK him for showing something important to us that apparently doesn't bother most cruisers......we just want to be WITH EACH OTHER !

 

Couple on honeymoon: Per your inquiry, DON'T even think about AFT !!!!

 

I did my Honeymoon in aft wrap suite on the Miracle and am really wondering why you are so hostile towards aft cabins...you seem to really not want anyone back there...I have also had a mid ship balcany and saw NO difference in privacy.

In regards to the pics...lets get this in context that it seems to me that they were taken at sail away...I saw my neighbors one time the 8 day cruise and with my wrap I did not have to fight for a lounge chair up on the towel game deck

OP do yourself a favor and take everyones opinion with a grain of salt...including mine and try one for yourself