Is it woth booking a balcony......

We are looking at booking Venice-Rome on Celebrity Constellation (Aug 2015). Wondering if it's worth booking a balcony......are you close enough to shore to see anything while sailing? We usually book inside cabins as we don't spend much time in them.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Wouldn't cruise without a balcony!!! MHO!!!:cool:

You book Inside cabins because you don't spend much time in them.

Agreed ,why would you wish to?

A balcony on any cruise itinerary may change your mind.

If it is a affordable upgrade , give it a try ?

The nicer your cabin is the more time you spend there. A balcony is a must on a cruise in Europe. It's very exciting to stand out on your balcony as you arrive at port each day. There's nothing quite like stepping out on your balcony during a sea day and smelling the fresh sea air and hearing the waves roll by.

If it's in your budget book that balcony and you will never cruise without one again.

Jonathan

We seldom use our balcony but still like having one.

It's nice to be able to walk directly outside from our cabin. :)

LuLu

I won't book anything but a balcony.....I'm not sure what you want to see...but the ocean is ALWAYS out there!

We never cruise without a balcony. Some people will say they don't because they are never in their room. I wonder where they get ready for bed at night or ready for a day's adventure - in the spa facilities? :D

My wife and I spend at least two hours per day in our room, most of it getting ready or changing clothes for various activities. That's two hours of looking at four walls if we had an inside room. Ugh! Instead, as we get prepared we have the beautiful vista outside our window to look at, the fresh air from the outside to breath, and the ability to go out on our balcony anytime we want to see what the day looks like before we decide what to wear.

To us a big part of being on a cruise is being near the ocean. We do everything we can to enjoy that aspect, including always having a balcony. If all we wanted was transportation to another port, we'd do a land tour by bus instead, where we could spend more time at the destinations.

We are looking at booking Venice-Rome on Celebrity Constellation (Aug 2015). Wondering if it's worth booking a balcony......are you close enough to shore to see anything while sailing? We usually book inside cabins as we don't spend much time in them.

 

Thanks in advance for your help.

We seldom book a balcony. If they are on sale maybe but usually no. The itinerary can have some impact on our decision. In the Med you have so little time to spend on a balcony we would pass and save the money for another cruise.

We only book balconies if they are a real bargain. Med cruises are usually very port intensive, in ten days there is only one day at sea. When you return to the ship from a long day of sightseeing, you rush to your cabin to shower and change, then go looking for dinner. Not a lot of time to spend in your cabin on on a balcony. We did this itinerary last year on silhouette, and with a 2A balcony. As usual, we spend very little time out on it. We only did it, because it was a sale, balcony gty the same price as an inside! The only two times you want to see land is your sailaway from Venice, and you will want to be up on deck where you can move around; and sailing through the straits of Messina, after leaving Catania. EM

On a port intensive cruise (only one or two sea days), I don't think the expense of a balcony is worth it and I don't miss it. On our cruises with balconies, it was because we don't enjoy the noise of the Lido pool area so we wanted a peaceful place to relax on sea days. I have found, however, that when I have a balcony, I don't explore the ship and utilize its amenities as much. Plus I find the views far better from the open decks, where I can see 360 degrees. I have missed seeing whales and dolphins because my balcony was on the wrong side of the ship.

I love to cruise because I love to be on the ocean.I much prefer to be on my private balcony then any other location on the ship. We like to have breakfast out there and drinks out on the balcony in the evening before dinner.I would not cruise if I could not have a balcony but that is just us. We live way out in the country because we like privacy.We feel the same way about a balcony.Only you can answer if it is worth it to you.;)

We were upgraded to a balcony on Holland America for our eastern med trip Venice to Venice on ms Nieuw Amsterdam in 2010. We are now completely spoiled and will not go back. We highly recommend a balcony for Alaska and for the Panama Canal but will definitely book a balcony for all future cruises no matter the destination.

Welcome to Cruise Critic!

I had a balcony for the first time on my last cruise and loved it. One thing to think about is you will be sailing in very hot and humid weather. This could affect the amount of time you spend on your balcony.

My husband had Noro on a ship once. I didn't but had to stay in the cabin as well. If it had not been for that balcony, I would have had BIG Time cabin fever. :D

LuLu

Wondering if it's worth booking a balcony

 

......are you close enough to shore to see anything while sailing?

Yes, to us it's well worth it. We have had a balcony on every cruise. And yes, you will see land depending on the itinerary. Even on sea days, we still enjoy our balcony and spend a lot of time on it.

Give it a try. That's the only way you will know whether you think it's worth it.

We don't like the balcony for the balcony (we rarely sit out there) We like the balcony cabins because of the "wall of window". A balcony cabin is only "worth it" if it's worth it TO YOU.

We love our verandahs.

It's great to go out there as the ship arrives in a port and as it leaves.

We often have afternoon cocktails out there.

We have always booked balconies and, in particular, the aft corner balcony if we can get it. I love to have coffee out there in the morning, read in solitude, enjoy a glass of wine in the evening and check out every port coming and going.

We have seen whales and dolphins and birds. And, the late passengers hoofing it to make embarkation. :D

Mostly, I just like looking out to the vast ocean. It reminds me grateful for all that I have been given in my life.

Some things to remember, if you book a balcony, be sure to bring binoculars and a flameless candle for the evenings. And, don't leave your balcony light on when you retire at night (as a courtesy to your neighbors).

I sure did like our aft. balcony but Inside GTY works fine for us too . ;)

There's nothing quite like stepping out on your balcony during a sea day and smelling the fresh sea air and hearing the waves roll by.

Stepping out of your cabin and onto the open deck is very similar to stepping out on your balcony. Not identical, but similar.

To answer the original question, there are few places in the Med where you can see land except when you're coming into or leaving a port. The ships tend to get out to sea and then travel in a straight line.

I once had a balcony - for me, it was a waste of money. Plenty of open deck space. For you, it may be great value - but if you've had inside cabins and liked them, I suspect it would be a waste for you as well.

Stepping out of your cabin and onto the open deck is very similar to stepping out on your balcony. Not identical, but similar.

Not even close. We leave the curtains open and to wake up to the view of the ocean as the first thing we see each morning is bliss. We quickly open the door and step outside, yes, still in our bed clothes, and take in the view, the fresh sea air, all in the privacy of our own balcony, and our day instantly starts in a positive way. There is no comparison to having to change clothes in a windowless room, step out in the hallway, work you way up to an open deck, and then, finally, get to see if it's raining, cloudy or sunny. All with other people around you intruding on what could have been a very peaceful, private, and serene moment if you were on your own private balcony enjoying the best of what life offers.

No, it's nothing similar at all! :p

You book Inside cabins because you don't spend much time in them.

Agreed ,why would you wish to?

A balcony on any cruise itinerary may change your mind.

If it is a affordable upgrade , give it a try ?

Very well put ..

I would never book an inside cabin - would prefer an ocean view over that... But the Balcony IMO is a must - it is wonderful to have morning coffee on it - or a late night glass of wine while relaxing and listening to the water. We have had breakfast on our balcony many times.

But to each is own... and once you go balcony you never go back!

Not even close. We leave the curtains open and to wake up to the view of the ocean as the first thing we see each morning is bliss. We quickly open the door and step outside, yes, still in our bed clothes, and take in the view, the fresh sea air, all in the privacy of our own balcony, and our day instantly starts in a positive way. There is no comparison to having to change clothes in a windowless room, step out in the hallway, work you way up to an open deck, and then, finally, get to see if it's raining, cloudy or sunny. All with other people around you intruding on what could have been a very peaceful, private, and serene moment if you were on your own private balcony enjoying the best of what life offers.

 

No, it's nothing similar at all! :p

The best of what life offers? If you say so. I realise you can't get dressed in front of an open window at home, but is it such a treat as all that? ;)

PS - if it is raining, your positivity is instantly quashed. Mine at least lasts until after I've fought my way through the crowds! :p

The best of what life offers? If you say so. I realise you can't get dressed in front of an open window at home, but is it such a treat as all that? ;)

 

PS - if it is raining, your positivity is instantly quashed. Mine at least lasts until after I've fought my way through the crowds! :p

Still not even close. I give you an 'A' for effort, though! :D