Which type of balcony on QM2

We are looking at taking a world cruise on QM2 , but never having been on the ship, we are struggling to decide on a cabin. The balcony cabins on deck 8 are all taken, so that leaves the higher decks for a glass balcony or the lower decks for a sheltered balcony.

We don't particularly want to sit in the sun, so I am thinking that a sheltered balcony might be better as we could use it when the weather is less favourable as I am presuming it would be less windy. But the sheltered balconies do seem to be less popular and I wondered why, is it just that you cannot see the ocean?

The other consideration is the location. We would really want to be on a deck that has cabins above and below - have had too many noise issues in the past with restaurant/ lido deck above us.

So my question to you all is this. If you were going on a world cruise, which would you choose and why? For those of you who have been on QM2, which is your favourite deck and why?

Thank you

Not too sure from where you have the idea that the sheltered Balcony cabins are not popular.

If your intention is not to use it for sunbathing then these cabins are ideal for you. They certainly are very popular on most cruises/voyages I have been on, usually one of the first categories to be sold out.

Thanks Bellboy, two reasons for thinking they are less popular, one they are a lot less expensive and two, there is much more availability showing for the sheltered cabins. But good to know they are desirable.

One reason they are less expensive is simply that they are lower down (considered less prestigious - but more stable).

Perhaps the primary reason is that they are a bit darker, and simply it's less attractive looking at the painted hull cutout than a glass balcony through the french doors. Probably a bit less of a peripheral view as well.

Personally, I love the close availability to the public rooms on 2 & 3. We just completed a crossing and stayed in 5048 with passenger cabins above and below, which was between Stairways A & B. It felt like we had an elevator direct to the Commodore Club.

We like BZ on deck 6 -- just a short hop up to King's Court and most important for us; easy access to Canyon Ranch.

Staterooms closer to mid ship and lower gives the most stable ride -- deck 12 loses it's prestige quickly when a storm comes up and "mal de mare" hits. The various sheltered cabins are mostly a distinction without much of a difference (except price) .

Deck 8 and above with glass fronts verses decks 4,5,and 6 sheltered are separated by the view out -- some like it one way; others could care less.

It's your pick.

This is all personal opinion of course.

We are looking at taking a world cruise on QM2 , but never having been on the ship, we are struggling to decide on a cabin. The balcony cabins on deck 8 are all taken, so that leaves the higher decks for a glass balcony or the lower decks for a sheltered balcony.

 

We don't particularly want to sit in the sun, so I am thinking that a sheltered balcony might be better as we could use it when the weather is less favourable as I am presuming it would be less windy. But the sheltered balconies do seem to be less popular and I wondered why, is it just that you cannot see the ocean?

 

The other consideration is the location. We would really want to be on a deck that has cabins above and below - have had too many noise issues in the past with restaurant/ lido deck above us.

 

So my question to you all is this. If you were going on a world cruise, which would you choose and why? For those of you who have been on QM2, which is your favourite deck and why?

 

Thank you

I would definitely go with a balcony with a glass front. Sorry to disagree with others about sheltered balconies but have just come back from being on QM2 with a sheltered balcony and absolutely hated it. You sit down to read your book or whatever and you can't see a thing, felt like I was in a prison. Have been round the world on QE with glass fronted balcony and loved it. You can sit there and watch life going by. If you are in port you can sit there and watch what is going on etc etc.

I'm not a big fan of the sheltered balconies either, we have had one on our last 2 QM2 trips. My preference would probably be the unobstructed glass balconies on Deck 8.

I would definitely do a short cruise before booking a full world cruise. She is quite different to other cruise ships and not to everyone's taste.

We shared a table with a couple who had done a world cruise on QE and were trying out QM2 before booking their next world cruise. They decided to go back on QE.

This doesn't answer your question but thought I'd jump in anyway.

We're booked in an obstructed balcony view, category DC on deck 8. Our particular room is right between 2 lifeboats/tenders so the view should be nice. Our TA recommended this particular room to us. I'm very excited and will post pictures once we return home in January.

This is purely a personal preference. We had an unobstructed glass balcony on QM2 last year on a caribbean cruise but didn't use it much what with the sea spray crusted on the tinted glass, it wasn't cleaned much by the steward and was difficult to see through. It would probably have been better for us to have booked the cheaper sheltered balcony which is a little more usable in changeable weather.

We've done "all three" and, without a doubt, prefer sheltered. They are a bigger balcony and unless you are tall you can't see the sea when sitting down but so what? You are still outside in the fresh air, can stand up to see things and being lower down is far better for taking photographs of anything at sea level. The sun does shine into the sheltereds. It is for a limited time but if you are (how can I put this) exposing bits of your anatomy that don't normally see the sun you don't want over exposure. This can't be done in the glass fronts.

Also washing can always be dried on a sheltered without anybody giving you the hard stare

This doesn't answer your question but thought I'd jump in anyway.

 

We're booked in an obstructed balcony view, category DC on deck 8. Our particular room is right between 2 lifeboats/tenders so the view should be nice. Our TA recommended this particular room to us. I'm very excited and will post pictures once we return home in January.

This link should help you make a selection as it shows photographs of the Deck 8 QM2 balconies.

https://ask.cunard.com/help/cunard/fleet/qm2_obs

Diane

We just did the crossing in stateroom 6089 with sheltered balcony and loved the room. Close enough to the elevator "B" but not too close. One floor up to Kings Court and Corinthian Lounge. As to the balcony it was fine for us but I can see where one would prefer a glass one if you plan on sitting out reading or sunbathing.

If you look straight down from a sheltered balcony you see the ocean (and the bow wave if you're somewhat forward). If you look straight down from a glass-fronted balcony you see the Deck 7 promenade, the tops of lifeboats, and the ocean out there beyond the lifeboats and Deck 7.

If you look straight down from a sheltered balcony you see the ocean (and the bow wave if you're somewhat forward). If you look straight down from a glass-fronted balcony you see the Deck 7 promenade, the tops of lifeboats, and the ocean out there beyond the lifeboats and Deck 7.

All glass fronted balconies do not afford the same view, for example:

It is true if you look straight down from a glass fronted balcony on Deck 8 you will see, hear and smell Deck 7.

I have not had a balcony cabin on Decks 9 or 10, but I can say with all certainty that you would have to hang precariously over the railing of the balconies on decks 11 or 12 to see tops of the life boats hung on deck 8 or the promenade deck 7. On balcony cabin on Decks 11 and 12, you will see the sea and sky while sitting on your balcony. I haven't experienced Deck 13 yet, so I can't comment on the view from those balconies.

Stateroom 11031 (Transatlantic, October 2011).

"Out there beyond the lifeboats" wasn't accurate (although I was discussing specifically what you see when you look down), but you don't get the same view of the ship and the ocean that you do in a sheltered balcony.

You can see that I've held my camera past the railing to get these, but not precariously.