Help Me Decide, Cancel Balcony For Inside?

I have a large balcony booked on the Epic in December. With the new promo the UBP is offered on inside cabins. I'm debating whether to cancel the balcony room for an inside. The difference would be $700 total. What would I be losing other than the balcony if I did this. Would you do it? Has any one done this with the new promo? Thanks for any advice.

I have a large balcony booked on the Epic in December. With the new promo the UBP is offered on inside cabins. I'm debating whether to cancel the balcony room for an inside. The difference would be $700 total. What would I be losing other than the balcony if I did this. Would you do it? Has any one done this with the new promo? Thanks for any advice.

I would think it comes down to if the balcony is worth $700 to you or not. Since you have the UBP either way and there are no other perks (that I can think of???) it just comes down to how much you think you will use the balcony. I'd think about what the weather will likely be, how port intensive or scenic (fjords? glaciers?) you itinerary is. I'd also put a bit of weight on the public rooms (lots of glass or not?) and spots on deck you might enjoy. Some people just love to look at the water but if you live on the coast then ocean views are everyday stuff you'd be unlikely to pay more for. Also check the size of the staterooms. Are you getting a bigger room too? These are the things I consider.

I have a large balcony booked on the Epic in December. With the new promo the UBP is offered on inside cabins. I'm debating whether to cancel the balcony room for an inside. The difference would be $700 total. What would I be losing other than the balcony if I did this. Would you do it? Has any one done this with the new promo? Thanks for any advice.

As SailsofGrace said, check the size of the stateroom. In my experience inside cabins are very small, much smaller than balcony cabins. You would probably be losing not only the balcony but also a significant portion of interior square footage. Having done several cruises in an inside cabin I definitely would not change from a balcony to an inside to save $700 total. There's a bigger difference in price than that.

As others have said, it depends on how important the balcony it for you. When I travel with DD, I always book a balcony or a suite. We enjoy spending time together on the balcony so it's important to us. But, when I travel solo, I book studio or inside. I just can't justify the extra expense for a balcony since I'm already paying dearly for my cabin since I'm solo. But, for DD and me, I'd book the balcony even if it were $700 more. What's important to you? Will you use the balcony? Would you miss being able to see out?

I couldn't imagine even sailing in an inside cabin.

I couldn't imagine even sailing in an inside cabin.

Have had many great cruises in insides, in a studio, and balcony cabins. Nothing wrong with an inside. :)

I have a large balcony booked on the Epic in December. With the new promo the UBP is offered on inside cabins. I'm debating whether to cancel the balcony room for an inside. The difference would be $700 total. What would I be losing other than the balcony if I did this. Would you do it? Has any one done this with the new promo? Thanks for any advice.

I actually love inside cabins. That said, I also love to look out at the sea. On most ships, that's not a problem, but on the Epic, there are not a lot of areas to see the sea from. I didn't dislike the Epic, but I would prefer a balcony if I were to sail her again. But, $700 would be a big deal to me, and I might figure that I could spend that on something else and just do without the sea. Just food for thought.

Having been on the Epic, I would definitely stay with the balcony. There aren't many quiet places on the Epic to sit out and look at the sea. On smaller ships that have a proper promenade deck, I can spare the balcony. But on the bigger ships, having your own private, quiet place is invaluable.

I actually love inside cabins. That said, I also love to look out at the sea. On most ships, that's not a problem, but on the Epic, there are not a lot of areas to see the sea from. I didn't dislike the Epic, but I would prefer a balcony if I were to sail her again. But, $700 would be a big deal to me, and I might figure that I could spend that on something else and just do without the sea. Just food for thought.

Yup, there's something weirdly cosy about an inside cabin. Like most people I'd rather have the balcony if it's a couple of hundred more but if it doubles the price of the cruise I don't feel it's good value for money unless there's something special to see like Alaska or the fjords. I've also heard the comments that a balcony is more than usually desirable on the Epic though.

Have had many great cruises in insides, in a studio, and balcony cabins. Nothing wrong with an inside. :)

That's why they have different strokes for different folks.

As others have said, it depends on how important the balcony it for you. When I travel with DD, I always book a balcony or a suite. We enjoy spending time together on the balcony so it's important to us. But, when I travel solo, I book studio or inside. I just can't justify the extra expense for a balcony since I'm already paying dearly for my cabin since I'm solo. But, for DD and me, I'd book the balcony even if it were $700 more. What's important to you? Will you use the balcony? Would you miss being able to see out?

This is the way I think about it as well.

I love inside cabins and balconies and am happy with both. Would I cancel a balcony for an inside, quite possibly if I were sailing alone, but if I were with DH maybe not. I'd probably let that be his call.

For me insides are great for sleeping. I have the best sleep in an inside cabin, but if I want to see the view while not moving from my room I'd choose a balcony. A good portion of my decision would be based on the itinerary and how much time I planned on spending on the room.

I couldn't imagine even sailing in an inside cabin.

I sailed in an inside on my first cruise in 1997--it was a tiny cabin and it was me, my then husband, and our 21-month-old daughter. It was very tight, but we had a great time. But, since then it's always been a balcony or a suite. That is until my last cruise, which was my first solo cruise. I just couldn't justify the cost of a balcony for one person (though paying for two). I was more apprehensive about sailing in an inside than sailing solo. But, it was just fine. I missed the balcony, but felt I made the right decision because not having a balcony encouraged me to spend more time out of the room. I'm sailing in a studio on my next cruise and not at all concerned about the size of it. So, less than a year ago, like you, I couldn't imagine sailing in an inside, and now I wouldn't hesitate!

Have had many great cruises in insides, in a studio, and balcony cabins. Nothing wrong with an inside. :)

Except on the Epic where an inside cabin is only 128sf! :eek:

What is the extra cost for Haven with the all-in and OBC? Or is the promo watered down?

This is the way I think about it as well.

 

 

 

For me insides are great for sleeping.

It's just as dark in an outside or balcony cabin when the black drapes are drawn. Even if the drapes are open there is almost no ambient light in the middle of the ocean.

It looks to me from the floor plan that the inside doesn't have a couch. Would you then have to sit on the bed? It does look to be quite a bit smaller. I'm really leaning towards keeping the balcony as we have 4 sea days out of 10. My only concern is that at that time of year in the Med that it might be too cold to use the balcony. I appreciate everyones thoughts.

I'm really curious what the upsell to an Haven suite would be?

(if there's additional OBC involved, next to the other perks, it might be a smaller step up and saving on your on board spending instead of downgrading to save..)

We would never go with an inside for another reason - my husband is claustrophobic. He feels trapped in small spaces with no windows. If it was just me, and the choice was an inside or not cruising at all, I would take the inside. Otherwise, I would splurge for the balcony.

I'm really curious what the upsell to an Haven suite would be?

 

(if there's additional OBC involved, next to the other perks, it might be a smaller step up and saving on your on board spending instead of downgrading to save..)

It would be an additional $6200 to upgrade to the cheapest Haven suite. Not worth it to me. Also not in my budget.

We just returned from our Epic cruise. Here are some comparisons ...We had an aft balcony, our kids had an inside. They had a difficult time with storage space, where we had ample storage space with some of it being unused. They also had a difficult time waking up since there was no natural light. They felt it was like sleeping in a closet...nice at night to sleep, but hard to get up in the morning. Their cabin was far smaller than ours. Bathroom set up was the same. We had a coffee pot in the room, they didn't. Hard to move around in the inside. We had a couch, they didn't. Their TV was smaller. Their closet was a single door closet, ours was larger with two doors. Even given all this, they said if they just had a window, it would have made a world of difference.

We just returned from our Epic cruise. Here are some comparisons ...We had an aft balcony, our kids had an inside. They had a difficult time with storage space, where we had ample storage space with some of it being unused. They also had a difficult time waking up since there was no natural light. They felt it was like sleeping in a closet...nice at night to sleep, but hard to get up in the morning. Their cabin was far smaller than ours. Bathroom set up was the same. We had a coffee pot in the room, they didn't. Hard to move around in the inside. We had a couch, they didn't. Their TV was smaller. Their closet was a single door closet, ours was larger with two doors. Even given all this, they said if they just had a window, it would have made a world of difference.

When I had my inside cabin on the Jade in October--my first inside since 1997--I kept the television on the ship's camera channel. That way, it felt almost like a window. :o

I have a large balcony booked on the Epic in December. With the new promo the UBP is offered on inside cabins. I'm debating whether to cancel the balcony room for an inside. The difference would be $700 total. What would I be losing other than the balcony if I did this. Would you do it? Has any one done this with the new promo? Thanks for any advice.

For us, it would absolutely be worth saving $700. We have mostly sailed inside although we have had a balcony a few times. Is the balcony nicer? Of course, but we don't really spend much time in our cabin even if we have a balcony. But the inside is smaller, in addition to not having a balcony. The one thing I really like about the balcony is that there is someplace to sit other than the bed; the couch. But all of that said, I would spend the savings on excurisions or even another cruise.

We always sleep great in an inside. Just make sure you bring some sort of clock you can see if it's dark because you will never know when it's morning. On the Epic last December, our next door neighbor kept their balcony light on all night and that was really terrible. We have never had a storage issue in an inside cabin. We do store our suitcases under the bed and that is where we store dirty clothes and purchases.

All of that said, we when sailed on the Epic in December, I was able to move from an inside to a balcony after final payment (I did not lose my promotion which was just OBC) for a very small increase. I did this because the Epic does not have many places to see the sea or ports. Perhaps with a port intensive cruise, that will not matter much, but it is a consideration on the Epic more than any other ship.

When we are in inside cabins, we like to sleep with the tv on the bridge cam station. That way it's dark when dark out, and light as the sun rises.

It would be an additional $6200 to upgrade to the cheapest Haven suite. Not worth it to me. Also not in my budget.

Understandable. :)

We took advantage of a price drop from balcony to Haven with the last all-in promo last spring, a few weeks before sailing and bottomline it was even cheaper to upsell with the UBP/UDP, free DSC and OBC covering any other onboard spendings than staying in the balcony.

But that might not work for a December sailing..

WE always get a balcony, but use it very little on 7 day cruises. Longer cruises have more sea days and we really enjoy it then. That being said, $700 is a lot of money and could possibly pay for all your other cruise expenses. If your idea of fun is not napping , reading or chilling out on the balcony, then you probably would not miss it