Help with Med. cabin descision

We are considering doing a Med. cruise at the end of Jan--trying to decide if we would use a balcony enough to make it worthwhile ( other than the larger cabin size!). Any thoughts?

We are considering doing a Med. cruise at the end of Jan--trying to decide if we would use a balcony enough to make it worthwhile ( other than the larger cabin size!). Any thoughts?

Might need a sweater on the balcony. Go for the space.:)

We are considering doing a Med. cruise at the end of Jan--trying to decide if we would use a balcony enough to make it worthwhile ( other than the larger cabin size!). Any thoughts?

Everyone's priority and value of money is different. I've read many opinions from balcony lovers who can't sail any other way. For them the view, square feet, and private leisure time with views is well worth the $$$s more/person.

Call me cheap, call me a value cruiser :D I've booked window at least for all prior cruises but for the Med we choose inside. We did get an upgrade but in reflection wouldn't have change our wonderful experience one bit if it was inside, window, or balcony, YMMV. During the cruise we spent minimal time in the cabin. 10/12 days were in port and we were busy from dawn till dusk on shore. Once we got back on the boat it was back to cabin for a quick nap/shower then down to early dinner. Anytime we felt the need for air or views we just took the 2' to wander on to the deck. Not that we had a budget to live in but the money saved was spent on top quality guides and private tours which was more important for us, at least.

Happy planning

A lot depends on your itinerary. If it is more southern (Greek islands, southern Italy), then you'd likely get more use from a balcony.

Also, some ships' cabins are not any different in size; whether you have a balcony or oceanview or inside cabin, they are all about the same size. Not sure what line you are sailing on.

If you have a lot of sea days its worth it. I'm going on the 12 day med next summer and have 2 sea days out of 12 so we got an inside cabin - we will be on the ship so seldom we couldn't justify the extra $$ for a balcony. So it depends on the itinerary, I think.

My wife and I find that abalcony cabin is the best.We rarelly use the balcony even in warm weather. The main reason is the fact of the floor to ceiling glass door.Its nice to have a nice continental breakfast before going on tour and when we come back its nice to relaxe and sail away looking out our doors.Just adds a little more romance to the sailing expierence.

We used our balcony in Feb---but then we just went to the Delaware shore two weekd ago and I was sitting on the beach (behind my "wind wall" but still on the beach.)

We just returned from 14 day Med and loved the balcony--can't even imagine not having it--and I have sailed in plenty of insides in my day. We slept with the doors open and had the great breeze and ocean sounds to sleep by. It wasn't warm but we we spent plenty of time out there. IMO the difference in cost was well worth it--and we are cheap!

Cathy

IMO, balcony in January is waste of money.

We are considering doing a Med. cruise at the end of Jan--trying to decide if we would use a balcony enough to make it worthwhile ( other than the larger cabin size!). Any thoughts?

Unless you stay on the ship when in port, on a port intensive cruise like the typical Mediterranean balconies are not worth the extra money. Give the difference to your favorite charity and deduct it on your income tax.:):D

Thanks everyone- we ended up booking an inside, figured that the money saved can go for an extra day in Barcelona post cruise. Can't wait!

Unless you stay on the ship when in port, on a port intensive cruise like the typical Mediterranean balconies are not worth the extra money.

For us, balconies on port intensive cruises are worth the extra cost. We've done 12 and 14 days cruises in the Med with only 2 sea days on each, and we don't stay on the ship during port days. Since Med ports tend to be very crowded, it's nice to come back to the solitude of a balcony at the end of a busy day, and also on sea days. It's one of my favorite things about cruising, and the first place I go to when I first step into the cabin on embarkation, and every time I come back from port, when I wake up in the morning, before I go to bed at night ... and any other time I get an urge to hear, smell and see the ocean.:)

Thanks everyone- we ended up booking an inside, figured that the money saved can go for an extra day in Barcelona post cruise. Can't wait!

Barcelona is a wonderful city ... enjoy!!:)

My take:

All balcony vs. non-balcony decisions are based on value/price/use...

First, IMHO, Id rather ALWAYS have a balcony...balcony cabins are often roomier, have more light and view and have a little extra cache...it's just that sometimes it isn't worth the price differential...

Look at three basic aspects:

1) Your itinerary

2) Weather and time of year

3) Price differential...

1--Not only how many at-sea days there are, but also the times in port. A lot of European cruises have very few at-sea days (but, of course, it does vary cruise to cruise)...but, also, most have LONG days in port...and you will likely be out touring that entire port day...You will get up early, get an early breakfast and rigght off the ship for a tour or excursion...and you likely won't return to the ship until just before dinner--enough time to shower, change and off to the dining room...IOW, you really won't be in your cabin long enough or at the right hours to enjoy the balcony...Compare this to, say, your typical 7 night Mexican Riviera cruise...3 ports, 3 at sea days, short hours in Cabo, may not stay too long in Mazatlan--you have lots of time to sit out on that balcony...

2--You've already thought about this one...it may be cold and windy those very few hours you actually might use the balcony...much different than, say, a summertime cruise in Mexico or the Caribbean...

3--And this, for me, is the biggie...If the difference in price to jump to a balcony cabin is relatively small, then #1 and #2 fly out the window...I grab that balcony...I have cruised in Mexico and the Caribbean on sailings where the total price differential from inside all the way up to balcony has been as little as an extra $200...total!!! But, what I have notices on my several European cruises is that the price differential is often as much as $2,000 to $3,000...On my upcoming Oceania Nautica cruise, a balcony would have cost me over $2,000 more...a 14 night cruise with only 3 at sea days...and very interesting ports...I simply won't be on the ship and in my cabin enough to warrant a $2,000 expenditure for a balcony...I have no problem with spending another $2,000 and I will...I'll just put it to better use...So, what am I doing with that $2,000 instead? I've booked 3 nights pre-cruise in Barcelona and 3 nights post cruise in Istanbul...My hotel in Barcelona (Continental) is running me 115 euro per night for a deluxe Las Ramblas view balcony...at today's exchange rates, a total of $435 for the three nights...My hotel in Istanbul, the Sari Konak, is costing me 99 euro per night--approximately $375...So, 6 hotel nights at $810...If we spend $100 per day on lunch and dinner (breakfast is included at the hotels)--an amount I doubt we'll spend, we're up to $1,410...add another $590 for taxis, tours, admissions and souvenirs...and, for the price of that balcony, we're turning our 14 night cruise into a THREE-WEEK vacation...So, the question becomes: Two week cruise in balcony cabin versus three-week cruise/land vacation? On those three at-sea days, at the times we're not eating or participating in some activity, we'll just use the pool deck as our balcony...

Don't get me wrong, I love a balcony. And I'm a snowbird, a Canadian, so don't mind cool weather. But...I can't imagine a balcony is going to be very useful in January in the Med. Don't know your route, or the price differential, that makes a difference. But if the price jump is big, don't bother.

We had a balcony recently on a med cruise and half of the time, because of bad weather, we could not go out there or even have the door open.

That was October. The weather can be much worse in January especially in the more northern parts of the Med.

We had a balcony recently on a med cruise and half of the time, because of bad weather, we could not go out there or even have the door open.

 

That was October. The weather can be much worse in January especially in the more northern parts of the Med.

We were in the Med from Oct. 7-28th this year (including 2 weeks on a cruise from Rome-Athens) and were very lucky with weather ... temperatures were in the 70's every day, seas were calm, and not a drop of rain the whole time. Great balcony weather! ....but I agree that January could be quite a different experience.

For us, balconies on port intensive cruises are worth the extra cost. We've done 12 and 14 days cruises in the Med with only 2 sea days on each, and we don't stay on the ship during port days. Since Med ports tend to be very crowded, it's nice to come back to the solitude of a balcony at the end of a busy day, and also on sea days. It's one of my favorite things about cruising, and the first place I go to when I first step into the cabin on embarkation, and every time I come back from port, when I wake up in the morning, before I go to bed at night ... and any other time I get an urge to hear, smell and see the ocean.:)

....and that is why we have booked a balcony leaving Jan 4. Me and my coffee on the balcony even if I am wearing gloves and a hat!

We are cruising the Med in May 2009 and efinately opted for the balcony. We appreciate it when the walls in the cabin start closing in and we just don't feel like being in the crowd in most of the public areas of the ship. Certainly price difference is a consideration, but thusfar it has never been enough to dissuade us and that has been on four differnet cruise lines.