balcony vs oceanview?

hi,

first time cruiser here...i'm a college student going with my boyfriend. we're on a tight budget and have booked the cheapest oceanview. i'd love to get a balcony but is it worth the extra 200 dollars a person (maybe cheaper if we can get a deal?)

Thanks!

Tim

Originally we booked the cheapest ocean view too but then I talked the all the balcony people and decided for a seven day cruise it was worth it.

You won't have to fight for chairs on the deck, you can have breakfast in privacy overlooking the water, and there is nothing like fresh air first thing in the morning.

hi,

first time cruiser here...i'm a college student going with my boyfriend. we're on a tight budget and have booked the cheapest oceanview. i'd love to get a balcony but is it worth the extra 200 dollars a person (maybe cheaper if we can get a deal?)

 

Thanks!

 

Tim

It really depends how much time you think you will stay in your room or if you plan to spend most of your time on deck or partaking in activities. To us, a balcony is worth the extra money - nothing like breakfast on the balcony or sitting out there in the evening. Depending on the location you may not get a lot of sun on the balcony so if you plan to lay in the sun you might have to go up on deck.

When I started Cruising, I booked the Inside Cabin just to see if I liked it, and also I was tight on cash too, then I got hooked. Now after 10 Cruises I can tell a what I like about all 3 types and will give you a Tip on scoring a good cabin like I did last year.

Inside Cabin:

Nice and Dark if you want to take a nap during the daytime.

Some have a Curtain as if there was a Window behind it so it gives ya

that affect, I always book Inside to save money as Im only in the room

to sleep shower and shave.

Outside Cabin:

You get a window, most of the time there is Salt water mist all over the outside and you cant open it to clean it, so you still have to go out on top

to take your pictures, Good thing about the window, You can see Day light

in the morning and pretty much know its time to get up, and also you get to peek out as you pull into port in the earily mornings.

Balconies:

Generally the rooms are much bigger, you get more of the Daylight leaking in

You will probably only go outside your balconies just a few times or maybe only once. I dont care the the Balconies. but thats me.

Ok now for my Tip, keep it to yourself lol

If youre tight on Cash try this:

I always book the cheapest cabin I prefer spending that extra 200.00 you would pay for the balcony on like Excursions or the Tips we pay at the end of the Cruise.

What I do is book the Catagory 1a or 4a TBA, TBA means To Be Announce, that means you get a 1a or 4a but you wont know where they will end up putting you, Out of all the times I have done this, I always get a nice upgrade, Last year on the Spirit, I scored room 7301 which is one of the biggest suites onboard... and I only paid the price of a 4a, its like hitting the lotto, also its cool, you dont know where your cabin is until the day you check onboard. What they do is fill up the lower rate cabins and they keep bumpping you up.

Last week on the Spirit since we booked 2 months before sailing, we got bumpped from a 4a inside to a 6a Outside with a Door, it was like a balcony but with a Lifeboat there, it was an Obstructed view, but you can still open the door and look outside. Nicer room too.

on the Paradise, we booked it 4a TBA and landed a 7a suite

on the Triump the same 4a TBA to a 7a suite

If you do lock in on a specific cabin and want to pick the ones avaliable I recommend a cabin closer to the Elevators, as I hate walking a mile to get to my cabin, also the Lower level the better because youre off and on the ship faster, or closer to the exit of the ship and less Motion sickness the lower your cabin is.

So, first hit the Inside cabin, as you go alone and criuse more try the others, Outside and balconies.

PS: Bring along an Extension cord with a 3 way adaptor, most cabins only have 1 outlet, and sometimes the Outlet is far away or across the bed. They will charge you a Deposit if you need to borrow theirs.

Good Luck. have fun !! take lots of pictures.

Wennfred San Diego Ca.

For your first cruise I agree with the above poster--save your 400 to use for excursions. you really have nothing to compare it to. Most first times are rarely in the cabin. so much going on that you may miss something- Relax- you wont be able to do it all. But you will try--lol

See how oftern you just sat on the outside deck watching the water go by..

This is my third cruise and all three have been balconies. I have been in an inside cabin and they have a dark feeling to them. I love the light in the morning so an ocenaview would probably be fine for me. It only cost an extra $100PP for us to upgrade to a balcony so we pay it. We aren't in the room much but being able to sit on the balcony while getting ready for dinner with a drink is worth it. Plus the balcony allows me to meet more people in the cabins around ours. It can be fun if you have fun people near you.

hi,

first time cruiser here...i'm a college student going with my boyfriend. we're on a tight budget and have booked the cheapest oceanview. i'd love to get a balcony but is it worth the extra 200 dollars a person (maybe cheaper if we can get a deal?)

 

Thanks!

 

Tim

My wife and I are spoiled, as all our cabins have had balconies. To be honest, I couldn't imagine going to an inside --- or even an ocenaview --- after having the chance to open the balcony door in the morning and smell the ocean.

**That being said**, if you are on a tight budget, I concur with previous posters...take the inside room, spend the extra money on excursions. Remember, as this is your first cruise you're not even sure if you'll enjoy it...we'd hate to see you spend the extra $$'s on a balcony and then hate the whole experience. If you like it, then book a balcony on the next cruise and go from there.

Just a thought...you said you were a college student...no offence, but if you and your b/f are younger then 25, you might have difficulty in booking a cabin, as many of the cruiselines have minimum age requirements (with the usual exceptions ie you're married, if there's a legal (over 25) adult in the cabin with you, etc.).

Mike

Youll be fine with an oceanview. Are you planning to stay in your room alot. I doubt it-- so save your 400 bucks for tips, drinks, shore excursions etc.

For your first cruise oceanview is probably fine ... because you've never had a balcony so you don't know any better:D

I kind of equate it to this ... My ex and I went on our 1st cruise years ago on the Carnivale... had inside/bunks and water that sloshed over in the toilet hmm... got off the ship and said that was OK... I guess... The next year we went on the Monarch of the Seas.. outside cabin and said gee I think we sailed Gilligan style last time!.... then a few cruises later we were on the Rhapsody of the Seas and were upgraded from an Oceanview Cabin to an Owner's Suite!! It's tough to go back! Now I'll settle for a balcony and no less.... you get spoiled:D

Try the oceanview and when it's easier $$ go for the balcony and if you book an outisde guaranty who knows.... you could be upgraded to that balcony!

Either way.... have fun!

I agree with several of the other posts. If you are on a tight budget and this is your first cruise then the oceanview will probably be fine. If you book a balcony on your first cruise it will be very hard to ever book anything less. You will have a wonderful time just being on the cruise so listen to your wallet and make the best decision for you. Enjoy! ;)

To me it depends on the cruise. If you are going on a 7 day cruise with a different port each morning, then IMO a balcony is not worth the added expence. If you are going to have a lot of 'at sea' time on a long cruise, or perhaps the Panama Canal, then by all means it's cool to get outside in you own private space. I know my son, who is about your age would rather spend his money Hard Rock Cafe souvenirs than on a balcony, though

On our first cruise (Alaska Inside Passage) we got a balcony cabin because of our itinerary. There was alot of scenery most all the time, so it was great to have your own balcony. The extra cost was worth it in this case. This year, I have 2 daughters in college, so I felt I'd try an outside cabin (with large porthole) to save some dollars. We are going to the Western Caribbean which is very port intensive, so I felt the outside cabin would do us fine. Also, this is our first cruise where we will be out in the "open sea", and I felt a cabin down lower in the ship would be a good idea until we see how we fair. This might also be a consideration for a first time cruiser who is unsure if they will be prone to sea sickness. Have a great time! :)

I just returned from a cruise to the South Caribbean, and spent a lot of time out on the balcony, which was so beautiful, and very much worth it on a 7 day cruise. Out on the balcony in the morning, I saw dolphins and sea turtles in the ocean traveling along with us, though if I didn't have a balcony, I probably would have been up on a top deck and seen them anyway, since I love the waters (being a Pisces and all ;) ).

But, now I'm seriously planning on doing a double booking on the same ship I was just on, in early December (3-17) of this same year, since the price is right at that time of year (RC's Serenade, two weeks - booking the same balcony room for a one week cruise one after another, so I'm on it for 2 weeks! Not that I really can afford it all with the 14 day European one my mom is hounding me to go on with her in spring 2006, but LIFE IS FOR THE LIVING! and I always pay for trips outright with what I have - not on credit cards), and I'm not going to let my love of balcony rooms stop me from going, since I can only realisticaly afford an ocean view room at best should I go on the European one.

I guess it really all comes down to priorities. Is it really worth it to you? Think - "What else can I have/do if I go for the cheaper room?". That is the real question.

South Caribbean Cruise2 (418)forcruisecriticbalconykpicDay 7 - At Sea - island from the balcony, and

I think someone said that if you are under 25 you will not be able to book a cabin at all unless there is someone over 25. I THINK that the rule is if you are under 21, you need someone over 25 with you in the room.