Alaska aft balcony better?

I know it is normally preferable to get an aft balcony on the back of the ship versus a balcony on the side of the ship. Is this still true for an Alaskan cruise?

We recently (May) had a corner aft on RCI northbound Radiance....it was amazing.

I know it is normally preferable to get an aft balcony on the back of the ship versus a balcony on the side of the ship. Is this still true for an Alaskan cruise?

Absolutely!!! The field of view is so much better and you are out of the winds that discourage the side-balcony folks from coming outside when the ship is moving.

Some people swear by their aft balcony - justifiably so, I am sure - but there are two itineraries where it is important to be all over the ship and not just stay on your balcony. Those are Alaska, and the Panama.

We had an aft corner wrap on the Westerdam and spent a lot of time out there. It was very windy and cold on the side balcony, but we were protected from the wind and much more comfortable on the aft facing area. On future cruises, if we can't swing the back corner, we'll definitely go for aft facing. You'll appreciate the lack of wind in Alaska.

014 Our Balcony by Rescue-Diver, on Flickr

This is a link to my album of Glacier Bay. We spent the entire day on our balcony, so you can get an idea of the views of both shorelines.

On future cruises, if we can't swing the back corner, we'll definitely go for aft facing. You'll appreciate the lack of wind in Alaska./

We also spend most of our time on our covered aft cabin verandah in Alaska. Without the chilly wind/rain, it is nice to eat a Room Service breakfast on the verandah most mornings.

I have ventured to the Lido Restaurant to grab a plate of cookies for our verandah guests while in Glacier Bay and noted four-people deep, standing in the rain at the aft Lido Deck railing, trying to get a photograph of a calving glacier.

Making an extended video of glacier calving through a Lido Restaurant window or standing in a cold rain on the aft Lido Deck with passengers raising their cameras/tablets in your camera's field of view can be frustrating.

Losing your spot at the aft Lido deck railing in Glacier Bay to stand in line for the limited public restrooms or to find a table for lunch may not be a pleasant experience. (Room Service is very convenient in Glacier Bay.)

If you would prefer your own personal space/amenities and an aft cabin is an option, go for it.

Some people swear by their aft balcony - justifiably so, I am sure - but there are two itineraries where it is important to be all over the ship and not just stay on your balcony. Those are Alaska, and the Panama.

Unfortunately, this generalization, "to be all over the ship" may not be appropriate for those in aft cabins.

IMHO for both Alaska and Panama Canal cruises, lounging in the shade/covering of an aft verandah, seeing everything that those "all over the ship" see, and savoring one's unencumbered personal space/facilities may be preferable.

An aft verandah would be quite nice.

The only downside to an aft is if you are prone to sea sickness you will feel more of the seas at the aft than the middle but far less than if you were all the way forward.

You will also want to spend a lot of time outside on pubic decks where you can quickly move back and forth to get a lot of good views but in terms of being out on your own verandah aft has many pluses.

Keith

Some people swear by their aft balcony - justifiably so, I am sure - but there are two itineraries where it is important to be all over the ship and not just stay on your balcony. Those are Alaska, and the Panama.

Great advice! Watching the Grand Pacific Glacier receded into the distance was spectacular, as was being able to watch the workings of the locks on the Panama Canal without a hord a people.

Some people swear by their aft balcony - justifiably so, I am sure - but there are two itineraries where it is important to be all over the ship and not just stay on your balcony. Those are Alaska, and the Panama.

Great advice. Aft balconies are subjective. Some people love them, others like me, didn't enjoy the entire experience.

Our experience included soot, smoke, sun glaring in when I didn't want it as it jutted out beyond the overhang above.

It was lovely after dark, but I often felt a lack of privacy from above. We could look down onto the aft balconies below us, too. I didn't like that, either, like we were peeking when we weren't. We also got some and debris on our balcony from above, it was not my cup of tea.

the aft balconies are raved about and people greatly enjoy them. I think the point may be there is no ONE choice here. :) The upper decks can be extremely crowded, but I am always using the mid ship outside decks which have the benefit of being lower to the water with no glass/plexi impeding my viewing. I do move about the ship, as my priority is also the wildlife. So that works for me. I have NEVER seen this deck crowded, always easy to get rail space.

I feel I also have the experience to state this as a generalization to consider, as I have been doing this viewing for years, including 7 cruises this year.

So there certainly is something for everyone. :)

I agree with the others who think being out on the public decks is best for viewing. I traveled with friends this year, and they almost never left their balcony. I was out and about, and I saw so much more than they did.

As for "losing one's place at the rail", IMHO it is best to move around, not grow roots at a particular spot for viewing. I've only had one Alaska cruise that felt crowded on the public decks on Glacier Bay day. We solved that by moving around and increasing our viewing opportunities.

I am reminded of when my DH and our balcony neighbours stayed put while I went up to the Sports Deck one afternoon. On the other side of the ship from our balcony was a large pod of Orca whales chasing a huge pod of around 150 dolphins. It was amazing. I ran back to the cabin and shared with the neighbours and DH - who had absolutely no clue of all the excitement going on! Even an aft wrap on the "wrong" side wouldn't have given that view. I don't doubt an aft wrap is nice, but there are not enough to go around and even if I was on one (I prefer Neptune midship) I would still roam.

Thanks for the various view points. I appreciate different views (no pun intended)!!!

Thanks for the various view points. I appreciate different views (no pun intended)!!!

Just wanted to add something hubby mentioned - being out on the open decks and not hunkered down on your own balcony, you hear the buzz when something interesting is sighted. As Budget Queen said, very little crowding around the lower promenade deck, and easy to cross from side to side depending on where you want to look. Hope that helps.:)

Thanks for posting this question. Our first aft balcony will be on our Alaska cruise on NCL sun Northbound in late May. I am so excited, but I did question our view during Glacier cruising days. It sounds like it will be fun and a great experience! I'm sure we will roam around also. Then we can enjoy hot chocolate back in our balcony.:)

I am reminded of when my DH and our balcony neighbours stayed put while I went up to the Sports Deck one afternoon. On the other side of the ship from our balcony was a large pod of Orca whales chasing a huge pod of around 150 dolphins. It was amazing. I ran back to the cabin and shared with the neighbours and DH - who had absolutely no clue of all the excitement going on! Even an aft wrap on the "wrong" side wouldn't have given that view. I don't doubt an aft wrap is nice, but there are not enough to go around and even if I was on one (I prefer Neptune midship) I would still roam.

No offense, but your posts don't make sense. You are essentially saying that someone should not be on their balcony, because they will miss things. So, your advice should really be don't bother getting a balcony and save the money (perfectly fine advice, BTW). But, the reality is, people can BOTH enjoy some time on their balcony and roam the ship. Then, the question is, which balcony is best for that time on the balcony. You stated that for Alaska and Panama canal the balcony doesn't matter - but I 100% disagree, as both those itineraries are perfect for aft balconies. Yes, people should still roam the ship, but during the time they spend on their balconies, those balconies will offer the best views and protection from the elements. And, while not relevant here, especially for Panama Canal, an aft balcony is AMAZING.

No offense, but your posts don't make sense. You are essentially saying that someone should not be on their balcony, because they will miss things. So, your advice should really be don't bother getting a balcony and save the money (perfectly fine advice, BTW). But, the reality is, people can BOTH enjoy some time on their balcony and roam the ship. Then, the question is, which balcony is best for that time on the balcony. You stated that for Alaska and Panama canal the balcony doesn't matter - but I 100% disagree, as both those itineraries are perfect for aft balconies. Yes, people should still roam the ship, but during the time they spend on their balconies, those balconies will offer the best views and protection from the elements. And, while not relevant here, especially for Panama Canal, an aft balcony is AMAZING.

What doesn't make sense about it is nice to have an aft balcony but don't limit your time to staying on that balcony? Nowhere did I say do not get a balcony. You really have interpreted my postings rather strangely.

No offense, but your posts don't make sense. You are essentially saying that someone should not be on their balcony, because they will miss things. So, your advice should really be don't bother getting a balcony and save the money (perfectly fine advice, BTW). But, the reality is, people can BOTH enjoy some time on their balcony and roam the ship. Then, the question is, which balcony is best for that time on the balcony. You stated that for Alaska and Panama canal the balcony doesn't matter - but I 100% disagree, as both those itineraries are perfect for aft balconies. Yes, people should still roam the ship, but during the time they spend on their balconies, those balconies will offer the best views and protection from the elements. And, while not relevant here, especially for Panama Canal, an aft balcony is AMAZING.

I completely agree with your post. IMHO an aft cabin verandah is the ideal spot for both Alaska and Panama. It is especially true for those who are physically challenged and have issues with "roaming" the ship.

To the OP: "Take it from me" grab an aft cabin if one is available. As posted by others on this thread, you will not be disappointed.