Downgrading is my new philosophy

I just bought a new bag that I can carry on flights to MIA accompany my small pullman. This will save me $200 in checked bag fees over the next 4 cruises. I can pick up lotions, potions and snacks I may have forgotten en route to the port. Seems like a good plan, right? I'll find out how well it works in 41 days.

... I too just purchased new carry on luggage to avoid checked baggage fees and save time I waste waiting for the luggage carousel!

Two of the airlines I fly on have changed their carry on size allowance so now my rolling bag can only be 21 inches, use to be 22. So I bought a new set that includes a matching backpack (which meets the size criteria for under the seat) and 21 inch rolling bag. My upcoming cruise on Getaway for a week I will only use these 2 bags for the whole cruise and 1 day and night at each end in hotels. This is a first for me, my previous 12 cruises I always had a checked size bag. What I save in checked bag fees on this one trip will more than cover the cost of my new luggage.

I also started cruising in a balcony cabin. Since then I have done windows, inside and partially blocked ocean view. When traveling with one or two in a cabin inside is now my preference. With 4 in a cabin I like to have a window or a balcony as those cabins are usually bigger.

IMO, if you spend more than 25% of your cruise in your cabin, then you're doing it wrong ;)

 

Not really :) I think by booking balcony cabin we are doing it right :)

Tried inside cabins, loved the savings but nothing can beat sitting on your balcony with a glass of wine watching the world go by :)

For US it's worth it :)

If the price is few hundred dollar difference, I get the balcony. Peak season I would get the indoor to save money.

Usually when I am on a cruise, I am never at my room. I like to sit out at the side deck and take the cool breeze. Of course when the ship dock, I am out walking or rent a bicycle.

Indoor, you can view the ouside of the ship on your TV monitor. Some ship now got those LCD panel that look like virtual windows.

But its ok to spent some. After all, you know people say you cant take it with you when you are gone right?

Does anyone have experience with a virtual balcony? DH and I are going to try one on our Alaskan cruise. While I appreciate a balcony would be lovely, it was a few thousand more than the virtual... If this works for us, we may do more of these and fewer potholes. We do have a price point in mind when we book a cruise and we do book balconies on cruises with more sea days in warm itineraries when the price is right.

Does anyone have experience with a virtual balcony? DH and I are going to try one on our Alaskan cruise. While I appreciate a balcony would be lovely, it was a few thousand more than the virtual... If this works for us, we may do more of these and fewer potholes. We do have a price point in mind when we book a cruise and we do book balconies on cruises with more sea days in warm itineraries when the price is right.

I'm doing a VB on Anthem but that's not until September. I'll keep an eye out for commentary as well, because that was the main reason I booked RCCL.

We've stayed in inside cabins, ocean view, 4K obstructed view(French doors) and regular balconies. Of course we like the balconies the best, but would not hesitate to book an inside room again. With the Cdn $ so lousy right now, if we decide to book a cruise this year, I think we would choose an inside to reduce the cost and the amount we would pay in exchange.

I would rather be on a cruise in an inside room than not be on a cruise at all! :D

Its a new movement, i can do 2 or 3 cruises a year if i downgrade. ive also done the upgrade / downgrade too. Ive been doing spa interiors so i pay less than a balcony and still get more than an regular interior and still pay less than an oceanview.

If we are cruising with our two kids then I price out two interiors or one balcony and decide from there :) I get claustrophobic and there is no way I could handle 4 in an inside but 4 in a balcony is doable! With just my husband and I, inside will do fine.

Having done more than a dozen cruises, we have stayed in most of the various cabins on the ship. We have found that inside has its advantages as does a balcony. The biggest advantage to balcony is the location of the cruise. When we did the Panama Canal we debated about inside, but decided to do balcony as there is a lot to see from our cabin. We were right. Even finding a place on the deck for viewing was near impossible. Having a balcony was much more enjoyable. On the other hand, when we did a transatlantic, we got an inside cabin and were very happy with it. Who wants to look at ocean all the time. Climate also has to do with it. When we cruised south, the weather was hot. The upper ship cabins were hot and the air conditioner was having difficulty keeping up. The lower cabins (hot air rises) were always cooler and much more comfortable.

I just booked our first Dream class CCL cruise having previously only done Triumph and Fantasy Class ships.

We've had Insides, OV's, Aft OV's and porthole rooms before but this time went for a Cove Balcony because it was less than $200 more for our party of 3 over an OV.

But my main point is that when we booked and still today, OV's are cheaper than insides on the Dream. Not sure if that is the norm, but if price is all that matters, don't automatically assume that in IS is the cheapest option.

I just booked our first Dream class CCL cruise having previously only done Triumph and Fantasy Class ships.

 

We've had Insides, OV's, Aft OV's and porthole rooms before but this time went for a Cove Balcony because it was less than $200 more for our party of 3 over an OV.

 

But my main point is that when we booked and still today, OV's are cheaper than insides on the Dream. Not sure if that is the norm, but if price is all that matters, don't automatically assume that in IS is the cheapest option.

So true there was a sale and got a balcony for the same price as an ov. And ov's we cheaper than inside. I love sales i just think of all the people that dont check prices

Used to always at least get window rooms. Lido deck inside cabin is my favorite now. I walk 50 feel and the whole ship is my balcony! :)

I have our first cruise booked with a balcony this September. I have always booked an inside room and never had an issue. The balcony sounds nice, and I'm curious to see how much use it gets, but I have been killing myself with overtime to pay for this.

I have our first cruise booked with a balcony this September. I have always booked an inside room and never had an issue. The balcony sounds nice, and I'm curious to see how much use it gets, but I have been killing myself with overtime to pay for this.

When i get a balcony it always gets alot of use. I love watching the sunrise or sunset with a cup of coffee out there

used to always at least get window rooms. Lido deck inside cabin is my favorite now. I walk 50 feel and the whole ship is my balcony! :)

Oops again! :)

Used to always at least get window rooms. Lido deck inside cabin is my favorite now. I walk 50 feel and the whole ship is my balcony! :)

Okay you are officially drummed out of the interior cabins club..:D

Please stop giving away our secrets.....

Used to always at least get window rooms. Lido deck inside cabin is my favorite now. I walk 50 feel and the whole ship is my balcony! :)

Which ship, InitialD? The Lido deck on Cunard is the buffet deck. Are you talking about the ships where some inside cabins that look out onto the atrium area of the ship? If so, how quiet are they? What level on the ship? I've wondered what they are like!

What did you mean when you said "I walk 50?" Steps? Feet?!

I booked a single outside on Queen Elizabeth for my cruise later this year (we'll have just sailed into Palma Majorca for our first port of call 5 months today...not that I'm counting or anything!). However, there was a deal that I caught and upgraded to a double room balcony in the cabin beside my sister's (we can then open up the balconies and share some outside space). Due to the deal it just cost me £400 more ..and I got an extra 100$ onboard spend. I thought that as it should be a pretty sunny cruise a balcony might earn its keep.

Were it a transatlantic crossing think an inside would be fine, altho' I seem to get a slightly disorientated body clock due to them being so dark. I wonder if I set the alarm for the usual wake up time and went out on deck early the daylight might counter the dark cabin effect.

My DH & I are downgrading for the first time. We changed from a balcony to an inside room because of the cost. We were able to book an 8 day Pacific Coastal cruise for $404 per person. I don't think I'll see better than that price.

I just hope I don't go stir crazy in an inside room. :eek:

My DH & I are downgrading for the first time. We changed from a balcony to an inside room because of the cost. We were able to book an 8 day Pacific Coastal cruise for $404 per person. I don't think I'll see better than that price.

 

I just hope I don't go stir crazy in an inside room. :eek:

I thought the same thing the first time i had an inside cabin on our 11 day cruise. Before i knew it the cruise was over and we had no issues, in fact our next cruise we booked another interior since it was less than half the cost of a balcony.

We're booked for 28 days into a promenade- let's hope we love it! Always had balconies since we went from ocean view.

BFF and I had a balcony last year and moved to an OV this year when we realized we only used it for morning coffee. I'm moving to a porthole room this fall as I'm traveling solo and it's a bit of a savings over an OV.

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We almost booked inside just to give it a try since DH isn't going to with us. But the savings was minimal. Under $100 between OV and inside on both of the cruises we booked. For $100 or less we I will take my big window and not risk the chance I won't like an interior. I want to save big if I risk taking an interior room just in case I don't really like it I can console myself on the fact I saved a bunch of money lol. I looked at portholes thinking they would be a good compromise between OV and interior but after adding the pp fee they were as high a regular OV so no savings there.

Maybe next year we will find a inside to experiment with but for now OV is as low as we go. We've had grand suites, suites, balconies and OVs. I love all the room in the grand suites it really does make the vacation more enjoyable and relaxing vs an OV but it's not worth the expense, I'd rather pay for a less expensive room and take 2 cruises. Either way we have fun.

Oct will be the first time we try 4 people in an OV, we've only had 2 people in a room before, that should be interesting. Good thing we all like each other :D

I would still be booking insides if my poor husband hadn't made a plea for some real sunlight coming into the cabin. He's fine with obstructed - just needs real light - so that's an option for us. Price on those is usually not much more than insides.

After being on the triumph when the fire happened, I can't cruise without a balcony. I need to have a safe place to sleep outside if necessary. We had an inside cabin on deck 2. It was so hot & sewage filled we couldn't return to it even a few hours after the fire, much less sleep there. I wish I could go back to an inside & save $ and have that great dark hole for sleeping but I get anxious even thinking about it.

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