Balcony neighbor horror stories

I have gone on quite a few cruises but had a balcony only once. After that I never booked another balcony because I felt that I did not spend much time out there. Well for my birthday in January I have treated myself to a GS. I plan to spend quite a bit of time relaxing in my suite and on the balcony. Recently I was reading a post where someone stated that they stopped booking balcony staterooms because of the nosey neighbors. Is this common? What have your experiences been?

I've been on 6 cruises, 4 with balconies. The only time I had an issue was on the last cruise on Nav. of the Seas out of NO this past December. I had an aft balcony (my first), and I slept out there most nights as my roommate snored. One night, I think one deck above us, it sounded as if they had about 15 people on their balcony with quite the party going on. This was probably about 2 or 3 in the morning. Had I been inside, I may not have even noticed. It was only the one night that there was a problem.

I love my balconies. I like to sit and read and watch the ocean, but I don't like crowds. The upper (pool) decks with all the people and commotion are not my idea of relaxation, so I am on my balcony A LOT.

In my humble opinion, that is a ridiculous reason not to book a balcony. I only book balcony cabins and I never once had any issues with my neighbors.

No horror stories for me, have had rather loud balcony neighbors a couple times but didn't really bother me. Also one time had a neighbor with a severe flatulence issue. Fortunately he was downwind :)

I have been on 6 RCL cruises and always had a balcony. Never had a problem. Yes some neighbours leave their balcony light on but you just close your curtains. You most likely get various types of responses here but a lot has to do with the individual's tolerance level . I am pretty easy going and don't get rattled easy so maybe that has a lot to do with my response.

Beware you most likely unknowingly opened big debate for the anti smokers.

no problems with balcony from us

;)we always get a balcony, just wish neighbors would not leave their balcony lights on at night, as we love to sit out and enjoy the stars! The neighboring lights on ruins the beautiful view!

We pretty much always book balconies - I think we've had them 14 out of 16 cruises. I don't ever recall any "nosey" neighbors - can't quite imagine what that might mean!:eek: Although I must admit...:o....last summer on Allure our D5 balcony was next to the Presidential Family Suite on deck 12. So we did peek around the partition to check out their balcony, but they were not out at the time. And we did hear them when they used their hot tub, but we didn't peek then. (Maybe we were the nosey neighbors. :confused::confused:)

We have met and talked to our balcony neighbors many times since if you are standing at the railing, you're standing pretty much next to each other.

And I agree - nights on the balcony are more pleasant if others leave their lights off. Still not a deal breaker though...;)

Judy

I had some neighbors who decided that it was absolutely funny to have a farting contest one afternoon.

Another neighbor decided they wanted to feed the sea gulls. I did not want to get poo'd on so I ducked into my cabin quickly.

I have hardly ever seen anyone on the balcony's near ours..

Only issue we have ever had with a balcony stateroom is being downwind of smokers. My wife and I are former smokers (me 1Apr95 and her about 7 years later) and the stench now bothers both of us. When there is no one taking a smoke break, balconies are the way to go.

Luck of the draw I think. You can have noisy/inconsiderate neighbours in any cabins anywhere on the ship.

Just lucky I guess. 4 balconies and have never had any problems . :)

;)we always get a balcony, just wish neighbors would not leave their balcony lights on at night, as we love to sit out and enjoy the stars! The neighboring lights on ruins the beautiful view!

Totally agree!

We have always had a balcony cabin and never had a problem. On our recent cruise I had been chatting to someone on the roll call and it turned out they were in the next cabin to us and we always spent a little time each day hanging over the balcony chatting. It was really lovely but we also respected each other's privacy as well. Best of both worlds :D

;)we always get a balcony, just wish neighbors would not leave their balcony lights on at night, as we love to sit out and enjoy the stars! The neighboring lights on ruins the beautiful view!

Hoping not to truly derail but

I seriously believe that many balcony cruisers have no idea the balcony lights are on or they think that it is the ships lights that stay on.

I've never had a noisy neighbor. Yes....if you are carrying on a conversation on the balcony, it can be heard, but unless they are "whooping it up" and shouting, it really shouldn't annoy you. It's no different than someone conversing on an airplane or train or whatever.

Luckily, we've never had anyone near us to use their balcony lights....the light really isn't needed!

Even smokers haven't bothered us....any smoke blows away pretty fast, especially when the ship is underway.

Hoping not to truly derail but

I seriously believe that many balcony cruisers have no idea the balcony lights are on or they think that it is the ships lights that stay on.

I was one of them that had no idea about the balcony lights. I indeed thought it was the ships lights! I now dutifully make sure it is off because I don't like it on either!

We always have a balcony and love it, but it's a luck of the draw if smokers are near you and if you can tolerate it enough to enjoy your balcony.

Always have a balcony never any problems and met some nice people in the ones next to us.

13 balcony cruises and no problems. Enjoy chatting with our neighbors as we enter a port, watch sail away or laugh at "the runners".

Is the OP's concern a "nosey" or a "noisy" neighbor? There's a major difference.

I have never had a nosey neighbor in the sense that they literally crane their head around the partition to peek into my balcony to see what I might be doing. I think that would be rather alarming if you were relaxing on your balcony in possibly various states of undress and you have some creep try to look into what you are doing.

But a noisy neighbor? Certainly, but as someone else said, it's luck of the draw. Noisy neighbors could be out late at night talking, inebriated, or (ahem) joining the balcony club.

A smoking neighbor bothers me more than a noisy neighbor.

I don't think the OP's concerns would be a reason not to book a balcony. I'd rather deal with the potential issue than to be cooped up in a porthole oceanview or an inside cabin.

Over 30 cruises, all with balconies. Only once had a slight smoking problem, but not enough to ruin the balcony experience. You can have noisey neighbors in any cabin.

Ten balcony's no problems to complain about.:)

much to you younger folks surprise/dismay.. a lot of us mature folks enjoy 'it' as often if not more than the younger folks dragging kids and mum along.

 

I don't care for cigarette smoke but do enjoy a nice cigar in the evening. how in the world when the ship is moving can the smoke be that much of a bother to send folks running inside?

First part of your post......You got that right !!!!!!!!! *LOL* Kids are grown and either out of the house or never home. Every night is date night *LOL*

As to the second part. .....Ya got me , but I am sure one of the sufferers will be around to tell you exactly how that cigar has ruined their vacations and forced them to never get a balcony again. :)

Only issue we have ever had with a balcony stateroom is being downwind of smokers. My wife and I are former smokers (me 1Apr95 and her about 7 years later) and the stench now bothers both of us. When there is no one taking a smoke break, balconies are the way to go.

much to you younger folks surprise/dismay.. a lot of us mature folks enjoy 'it' as often if not more than the younger folks dragging kids and mum along.

 

I don't care for cigarette smoke but do enjoy a nice cigar in the evening. how in the world when the ship is moving can the smoke be that much of a bother to send folks running inside?

We have never had "nosey" neighbors but have had a few "noisey" neighbors..but luckily only here and there. I am allergic to smoke and have lung issues (due to no fault of my own..,have never smoked) so smoking neighbors (next door, above, or below) are a problem for me. Mr Ski can't tolerate it either. We have had several cruises where we have had chain smokers as neighbors and did not get to enjoy the balcony. Actually on our most recent cruise we had a fabulous balcony and didn't get to use it 1/10 of the time we would have. Our chain smoking neighbors (right next door) never left the balcony! I'm not sure they ever ate anything but room service!