Cove Balcony

Is cove balcony a connection to the sea or just loud and wet?

We are about to have our 4th Cove Balcony in a couple weeks. We love them. Never wet or loud. Very quiet and close to the water.

We love them. Our first choice, if available.

I am in the minority. I was so excited to get a Cove Balcony on my last cruise but it was wet and dirty 100% of the time. Not from sea spray either. Standing water. And debris.

I am in the minority. I was so excited to get a Cove Balcony on my last cruise but it was wet and dirty 100% of the time. Not from sea spray either. Standing water. And debris.

That's a shame. We haven't had this happen yet. We've done 5-6 of them. Which ship?

Oh, I see, Magic? Our cove was fine.

I am in the minority. I was so excited to get a Cove Balcony on my last cruise but it was wet and dirty 100% of the time. Not from sea spray either. Standing water. And debris.

I had one on the Carnival Dream and felt the same. I was excited too. After a day or two with all the steel it felt like I was inside of a steel shipping container when I sat on the balcony. I have another one booked on the Vista over New Years. Not by choice, but it was the only cabin that could take 5 to a room. I hopping for a drier experience on the Vista.

We loved our coves. We did them on two Dream cruises. Actually we even booked the exact same cabin for the second one. ;) It was so nice hearing the ship going through the ocean. We had sea spray one night. The stateroom attendant went out there first thing the next morning and soaked it all up with towels. We didn't even ask. It's so private and no sun beating down on you.

We've had a cove balcony twice. Once on the Breeze, and once on the Vista. The only time the balcony got wet (on either ship) was when the crew was washing down the sides of the ship. A notice will be placed in your cabin the day before this is to happen. FYI, if you have any footwear (tennis shoes, sandals, etc.) on your balcony, bring them in before the cleaning crew gets started. Otherwise, you'll have wet shoes. About the only time you'll hear any noise is if one of your nearby neighbors drags their chair across the balcony. Other than that, it's pretty quiet.

Had a cove on the Dream and did not find it anymore wet or dirty compared to any other balcony. Just be aware if there are high seas you may not be able to use it.

I am in the minority. I was so excited to get a Cove Balcony on my last cruise but it was wet and dirty 100% of the time. Not from sea spray either. Standing water. And debris.

Yup. Our first Cove Balcony was on the Dream at Christmas. Just dirty. Standing water. Lots of chipped and spattered paint. The chairs were always wet, which was OK with me -- you're that close to the ocean. We draped our beach towels over the chairs and it was fine. (As long as you didn't look down at the balcony floor, which was dirty, crud, debris, etc.,. Just keep looking at the sea and you'll be fine.)

I had one on the Carnival Dream and felt the same. I was excited too. After a day or two with all the steel it felt like I was inside of a steel shipping container when I sat on the balcony. I have another one booked on the Vista over New Years. Not by choice, but it was the only cabin that could take 5 to a room. I hopping for a drier experience on the Vista.

Well I was going to say "airplane hangar," but yeah, same thing. It wasn't so much all the steel that bothered me, just that it was really dirty.

We had a front-row seat when they launched the life boats, though! :D

We are doing a cove on the breeze in a couple of months, hopefully we like it.

I'm looking into booking on the Vista next though, I really really want to try the Havana cabana rooms!

Yup. Our first Cove Balcony was on the Dream at Christmas. Just dirty. Standing water. Lots of chipped and spattered paint. The chairs were always wet, which was OK with me -- you're that close to the ocean. We draped our beach towels over the chairs and it was fine. (As long as you didn't look down at the balcony floor, which was dirty, crud, debris, etc.,. Just keep looking at the sea and you'll be fine.)

 

 

 

Well I was going to say "airplane hangar," but yeah, same thing. It wasn't so much all the steel that bothered me, just that it was really dirty.

 

We had a front-row seat when they launched the life boats, though! :D

By the way, if your balcony needs to be cleaned, just mention it to your cabin steward. On our last cruise, we both inadvertently brought sand back from a day at the beach (Grand Turk). I noticed there was sand on the balcony. I mentioned it to our cabin steward, and he said "No problem. I'll take care of it." When we came back later that day, the balcony was clean as new.

By the way, if your balcony needs to be cleaned, just mention it to your cabin steward. On our last cruise, we both inadvertently brought sand back from a day at the beach (Grand Turk). I noticed there was sand on the balcony. I mentioned it to our cabin steward, and he said "No problem. I'll take care of it." When we came back later that day, the balcony was clean as new.

Thanks for that advice. Not our first cruise.

Thanks for that advice. Not our first cruise.

What's the purpose of the "not our first cruise" line?

What's the purpose of the "not our first cruise" line?

I wondered that too. I simply mentioned talking to the cabin steward since you and another poster commented that your balconies were dirty, but never said if you talked to your cabin steward or just let it go.

I wondered that too. I simply mentioned talking to the cabin steward since you and another poster commented that your balconies were dirty, but never said if you talked to your cabin steward or just let it go.

The way I took it is they were saying "we know to talk to our cabin steward, this isn't our first cruise" but if that's the case, and they didn't talk to him/her, then they have no right to complain about their balcony being dirty

The way I took it is they were saying "we know to talk to our cabin steward, this isn't our first cruise" but if that's the case, and they didn't talk to him/her, then they have no right to complain about their balcony being dirty

I could be wrong, but unless you have an exceptional cabin steward, most cabin stewards typically only take care of the cabin itself (make the bed, empty the trash can, etc.) , but don't pay much attention to the balcony. There's an old biblical saying that seems appropriate. "Ask, and ye shall receive."

I could be wrong, but unless you have an exceptional cabin steward, most cabin stewards typically only take care of the cabin itself (make the bed, empty the trash can, etc.) , but don't pay much attention to the balcony. There's an old biblical saying that seems appropriate. "Ask, and ye shall receive."

I agree. I will say, the suite cabin stewards are really exceptional though. I had a suite on the valor and our cabin steward was amazing. Ice bucket constantly full and he would ALWAYS fix up our balcony. He earned himself a big fat tip that week. Lol

We've had coves twice and liked them. Our first cruise on Dream class we got our usual lido deck balcony. I walked out onto it, looked down, and realized I'd made a mistake. Directly below our balcony was decking, as opposed to ocean, which was what I was used to seeing on Conquest class ships. Since then I've booked coves on Dream class ships. Much better than the alternative... for my tastes. Haven't had a dirty one, or a flooded one.

What I meant was, we know to talk to our cabin steward. And we did. Not our first cruise. But there was nothing he could have done about the paint spatter, the chipped paint, the standing water... To my surprise, our Cove Balcony was much more of an industrial-feeling area. Like a mechanic's dirty garage. Or a dirty airplane hangar. I'm trying to convey (unsuccessfully) that it was much more dirty-feeling than anything poor Stewart was equipped fixed, and not the kind of welcoming, relaxing, comfortable area that invites you to hang out there all day.

What I meant was, we know to talk to our cabin steward. And we did. Not our first cruise. But there was nothing he could have done about the paint spatter, the chipped paint, the standing water... To my surprise, our Cove Balcony was much more of an industrial-feeling area. Like a mechanic's dirty garage. Or a dirty airplane hangar. I'm trying to convey (unsuccessfully) that it was much more dirty-feeling than anything poor Stewart was equipped fixed, and not the kind of welcoming, relaxing, comfortable area that invites you to hang out there all day.

Yep, I've seen the paint splatter and runs on lots of balconies. The thing is, there is more steel present on the cove balconies than regular balconies. Ship's painters are much more concerned about getting a heavy coat of "protection" on all that steel than they are aesthetics. Salt water is rough on bare steel. As an old industrial painter once told me, "runs don't rust." It's never bothered me, personally, but that's just my take. Anywhere you see steel on a ships you're going to see heavy coats of paint... and probably some runs and drips and splatters.

I had one on the Carnival Dream and felt the same. I was excited too. After a day or two with all the steel it felt like I was inside of a steel shipping container when I sat on the balcony. I have another one booked on the Vista over New Years. Not by choice, but it was the only cabin that could take 5 to a room. I hopping for a drier experience on the Vista.

I will say, though, that I LOVED being that close to the water. I woke early every morning and would run up to Lido to get my omelette and oatmeal and enjoy breakfast on the balcony (hoping to see some sea life) while my family slept in.

Is cove balcony a connection to the sea or just loud and wet?

It is both. For us, we love being that close to the water and watching the flying fish. We also loved the privacy of the balcony from our neighbors and the fact that with the metal ledge, it made a good foot rest. We did not like the fact that ours (and most) was at least partially blocked from above by a lifeboat, which made star gazing a night much harder. We also found that it was louder - not so much the sound of the sea when you were on it, but how the ocean waves reverberated through the hull in an ever present dull roar. That made it harder for DH to sleep, though I adjusted quickly. It did also tend to be more damp on the floor than higher up.

For some a cove is their first choice. For us, we would pick an L-shape, even for more money, any day. But we would certainly sail in a cove again.

Thanks everybody for the Pros and Cons of Cove. The closeness to the sea, both physically and emotionally, that some posters spoke of sold it to me. The Cons mentioned were valid but I think I can deal with them.

Specifically- the lifeboats- were they a problem or not too intrusive.

Thanks everybody for the Pros and Cons of Cove. The closeness to the sea, both physically and emotionally, that some posters spoke of sold it to me. The Cons mentioned were valid but I think I can deal with them.

Specifically- the lifeboats- were they a problem or not too intrusive.

There are a few cabins that do not have the lifeboats. A search on here should get you ther numbers. Our room had 50% blockage of the night sky. You don't notice it when looking out to the horizon but trying to view the whole sky was impossible. Lead the the more private feeling.

Sent from my iPhone using Forums