I'm Asking My Faithful Balcony People

We have always done balconies in all our years of cruising. An affordable rate has come up on the NCL Jade for the 12 days British Island Cruise in Sept. For example: the inside cabin sailaway is priced at $1199.pp and $1399 for an inside and saying it's a GTY. The OS Sailaway is $2099pp and up and the balcony is $2950. Sailaway and up. On this itinerary there's only 2 sea days. It's very port intensive!

I also have enough points to do the single meta upgrade and almost the double meta. I've never done this before. I haven't called to ask about it because from what I've read there's a very good chance that I'd be able to get that upgrade. I will get up the nerve to call whom ever I have to call to inquire about it.

I guess I just want opinions or experiences of anyone that booked an inside cabin to be able to afford a cruise you picked for the itinerary. DH wants to take the easy way out and do a Caribbean Cruise that we don't have to fly to. I feel that we seen all the ports in the Caribbean, even though we could book a reasonably price balcony. We were on The Jade last yr in a balcony cabin.

I appreciate any input!

It is unlikely that the weather in the U.K. in September would enable you to get much (any) use from a balcony. The Jade has lots of nice spaces to hang out in and the TV bridge cam channel works like a window. We generally bounce between OV and inside depending on price/perks. Go for it.

Please keep us posted if you don't upgrade would like to know how you liked the inside or an OV. We to have always had a balcony even on TA's with limited use. We do spend time in our cabin, but with retirement around the corner will need to look at other options. With so many public spaces we should be fine, but the cabin size has me concerned.

Thanks in advance for any info, will be booking fall 2019 soon and then who knows.

We have always done balconies in all our years of cruising. An affordable rate has come up on the NCL Jade for the 12 days British Island Cruise in Sept. For example: the inside cabin sailaway is priced at $1199.pp and $1399 for an inside and saying it's a GTY. The OS Sailaway is $2099pp and up and the balcony is $2950. Sailaway and up. On this itinerary there's only 2 sea days. It's very port intensive!

 

I also have enough points to do the single meta upgrade and almost the double meta. I've never done this before. I haven't called to ask about it because from what I've read there's a very good chance that I'd be able to get that upgrade. I will get up the nerve to call whom ever I have to call to inquire about it.

 

I guess I just want opinions or experiences of anyone that booked an inside cabin to be able to afford a cruise you picked for the itinerary. DH wants to take the easy way out and do a Caribbean Cruise that we don't have to fly to. I feel that we seen all the ports in the Caribbean, even though we could book a reasonably price balcony. We were on The Jade last yr in a balcony cabin.

 

I appreciate any input!

If you haven't done a British Isles cruise, DO IT. Sorry, we took one Caribbean cruise and that was enough. It was OK, but compared to cruising the MED or the British Isles, it paled.

A balcony is still great to have, even if the weather is chilly. September is chilly in Britain, but not that cold.

Here is my review of our BI cruise in 2013

British Isles

http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=221137

We did our first NCL cruise back in 2003, and for the first few cruises we always booked an inside cabin, and were very happy with that (especially since we hadn't tried a balcony cabin yet, so didn't know what we were missing out on....). After the first few cruises in an inside cabin, we tried a balcony cabin for the first time, and loved it/said we would never "go back" to inside cabins again. Since then we have been in balcony cabins, mini-suites, regular suites, Haven suites. Enjoyed the balcony on all of them. But when NCL started raising their prices very much for many of their cruises last year (2017), we went back to booking an inside cabin instead - especially since we usually prefer to do port intensive cruises, it would be crazy for us to pay litterally double price per person just to be able to have that little balcony, that often actually turned out to be used very little by us, anyway. Thought it would be harder to go back to inside cabins after trying so many cabin types since last time we were there, but it actually wasn't. Especially the thought of being able to afford cruises twice a year if we book an inside stateroom instead of once a year in a balcony stateroom, helps alot.. ;) I also always do some research on the deck plans before choosing our cabin from the largest inside cabins on that particular ship. On our last cruise, I upgraded to an obstructed OV when there was a significant price drop, and got about 30% more floor space than a regular inside cabin for a lower price than I had originally paid for the inside cabin - was very happy with that. From now on there is no way I am willing to pay what NCL asks for a balcony cabin, even at "sailaway-rates", so for the two cruises I have already booked for later this year plus for 2019, are both in an inside cabin - for less than half the price p.p. than I would have to pay for a balcony cabin. If I thought prices was high last year (2017), they are even higher this year (2018) and raising even higher for the 2019 cruises. And unless I get very lucky with an upgrade bid or other type of "cheap" upgrades in the furture, I will be happy to cruise in an inside cabin.

After all - one day on a cruise ship beats a day at the office anytime, even in an inside cabin.... :)

We did our first NCL cruise back in 2003, and for the first few cruises we always booked an inside cabin, and were very happy with that (especially since we hadn't tried a balcony cabin yet, so didn't know what we were missing out on....). After the first few cruises in an inside cabin, we tried a balcony cabin for the first time, and loved it/said we would never "go back" to inside cabins again. Since then we have been in balcony cabins, mini-suites, regular suites, Haven suites. Enjoyed the balcony on all of them. But when NCL started raising their prices very much for many of their cruises last year (2017), we went back to booking an inside cabin instead - especially since we usually prefer to do port intensive cruises, it would be crazy for us to pay litterally double price per person just to be able to have that little balcony, that often actually turned out to be used very little by us, anyway. Thought it would be harder to go back to inside cabins after trying so many cabin types since last time we were there, but it actually wasn't. Especially the thought of being able to afford cruises twice a year if we book an inside stateroom instead of once a year in a balcony stateroom, helps alot.. ;) I also always do some research on the deck plans before choosing our cabin from the largest inside cabins on that particular ship. On our last cruise, I upgraded to an obstructed OV when there was a significant price drop, and got about 30% more floor space than a regular inside cabin for a lower price than I had originally paid for the inside cabin - was very happy with that. From now on there is no way I am willing to pay what NCL asks for a balcony cabin, even at "sailaway-rates", so for the two cruises I have already booked for later this year plus for 2019, are both in an inside cabin - for less than half the price p.p. than I would have to pay for a balcony cabin. If I thought prices was high last year (2017), they are even higher this year (2018) and raising even higher for the 2019 cruises. And unless I get very lucky with an upgrade bid or other type of "cheap" upgrades in the furture, I will be happy to cruise in an inside cabin.

After all - one day on a cruise ship beats a day at the office anytime, even in an inside cabin.... :)

Thanks I feel that way with port intensive cruises, but was a little nervous with space. I think maybe try an OV for fall 2019 the inside in spring 2020 :). Love cruising and would rather go twice a year in a more cost effective cabin than once in a suite or balcony (have to say nobody does the suite life better). Even now though NCL has pushed us out of booking a suite as platinum's we get a lot of the perks and save 2K for another trip in a balcony.

I've done many cruises on NCL in balconies, oceanviews, and insides. With few exceptions, my cruise memories do not relate to the cabins. Once I recognized this, I no longer pay for upgrades.

we have exclusively had balconies before our last cruise on the Sky, where we had OV. (4 nt $199)

while I prefer balcony I wouldn't pay through the nose for one. the OV was more than fine.

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I don't think I'd be as anxious with an OV as much as the inside and not being able to see what's going on out there. Truth be told, we don't spend a lot of time out on the balcony, but I do spend time in the cabin. Of course, it depends on the cruise, What we love to do is watch sailaway from each port, especially in the Med., not to mention coming into port. I don't think I'd even consider an inside or even an OS if it was a Caribbean or a Med or a warmer cruise with sea days. Yes, the inside cabins do look pretty small! NCL's balcony cabins aren't that large, either. The size of the cabin doesn't really concern me to much. With only to 2 of us and being a couple and that my dh is pretty low maintenance, we'd be ok..

Always did balconies on our 14 night cruises. Did ov and inside last two 7 day cruises and it was fine. But prefer a balcony on the longer cruises.

We are on this cruise and we have the ocean view until the prices of the balconies come down lol ...and if they dont we are happy enough ...We upgraded from ov to balcony on the Jewel last month and the extra room with the little couch was nice ...but we will manage

We are on this cruise and we have the ocean view until the prices of the balconies come down lol ...and if they dont we are happy enough ...We upgraded from ov to balcony on the Jewel last month and the extra room with the little couch was nice ...but we will manage

Was final payment due on this cruise yet? I was hoping that some people would decide not to go and more cabins would be available at lower prices! I won't hold my breath!

Was final payment due on this cruise yet? I was hoping that some people would decide not to go and more cabins would be available at lower prices! I won't hold my breath!

Lol yes final payment has come and gone ...Hubby checks everyday to see what is available ...would really love one of those hull balcony cabin ...had one on the Jewel for the Tokyo to Seattle cruise and they really block a lot of the wind ...But like you said it is quite port intensive so we will be fine with what we have ...

Don't be afraid of the inside cabins. Our first seven cruises were in balcony rooms. Last year we went on 3 cruises (two inside and one balcony). I thought it might bother me, but really I didn't mind it a bit. Our most recent cruise was 10 days in an inside and it was fine. You get the same food and entertainment (words I will always remember from a very wise woman on our first-ever cruise). We have found the room stewards to be just as friendly and attentive when we are in an inside as when we are in a balcony (maybe more-so).

Sure, the cabin is small, but the ones we have been in have been fairly functional. Do some research ahead of time to see what the features are in the cabins on the ship you're going on. Are there any drawers? There were no drawers at all in the inside cabin on the Escape, for example (but the bathroom felt larger). Also, I have only had cabins on deck 9 and above, so I don't know how I would feel in an inside cabin on the lower decks (maybe no difference at all).

As with any cruise, you just have to work with the space you have. I bring several collapsible cardboard bins (from the dollar tree) that weigh very little in my suitcase, but help immensely with keeping all of my stuff together in the cabin.

Balconies are great, but I agree with the others who said they don't want to pay double. I'd rather cruise twice (or three times!) per year in an inside if it means the alternative is just once in a balcony.

Don't sweat it! Have a wonderful time!

I guess I'm kind of gun shy about an inside cabin since our first experience on a cruise was on CCL's Carnivale back in 1989. We felt like we were in a dungeon. I'm sure that it wasn't only the cabin that was awful. The cruise was a 4 day Bahamas one and the seas were rocky, the food was awful, the ship was old, the entertainment venues were very over-crowded and no seating if you were able to get in the door, and no tv in the cabin! Our next cruise was in 2001, 2 weeks after 9-11 on Celebrity's Millenium in the Med in a balcony. We loved it and have been cruising yearly since, in a balcony. We usually get an excellent price on the cruises or we wouldn't go. Yes, the rate is a few hundred dollars more and like I said earlier, we don't spend hours and hours out there. I guess we certainly would be spending more time out of the cabin then in.

Maybe we'd get lucky and get upgraded!