How to convince someone a balcony is not necessary

Here's my problem. I love to cruise and my cousin, her husband their kids want to cruise with me for their 5th wedding anniversary next August.

There will be 6 of us (including 3 kids aged 6, 3, and 1). I am pricing out cruises and there are some decent prices for the end of august (not compared to what I pay in October but for the end of summer).

Here's my dilema - I keep pricing out inside, portholes and oceanview cabins (this cruise needs to be budget conscious because not only do we need to pay for 6 to cruise but also 6 to get to the cruise ship and back). My cousin's husband is stuck on getting two balconies. His grandfather cruises regularly (mostly on HAL and Princess) and he always gets a balcony (says it's the only way to cruise).

I'm trying to convince my cousin and her husband that it's worth giving up the balcony in exchange for a longer cruise.

For less than what 2 balconies on the Victory (5 night cruise) we could sail the Liberty in oceanview cabins for 7 nights.

Don't get me wrong - the Victory would be a great cruise (stops are half moon cay, grand turk and nassau) but the Liberty is two days longer and instead of Nassau we stop at St Thomas and San Juan (and also stops at grand turk and half moon cay). Plus it's had the Funship 2.0 upgrades.

How do you convince someone that a balcony isn't a necessity?

That's a hard one. If that's really what they want you have your work cut out for you! Good luck!

We are giving up a balcony on our next cruise so we can do a b2b. :-) we booked a 4J, on the lido deck. First time in this cabin category and first time on the lido. The 4J is priced as an interior but it has a window and just outside the cabin door is the secret deck :D

For the price of a 7 day balcony we are getting a 9 day cruise :-)

I love love LOVE having a balcony BUT...Balcony...?...More time on a Cruise....???...Balcony...??....More time on a Cruise???....NO BRAINER...Give me some more time on a Cruise please...LOL

Sorry can't help you. Myself, if I'm cruising I'm getting a balcony. Done the OV and not going back unless someone else is doing the paying.

I'd never give up my balcony. :)

Agree with hockeyluver. Instead of two balconys or two OV. Have you checked into a balcony and an inside. Best go both worlds.

I'm confused.

Are they paying for the room themselves, or are you folks funding it? Isn't it okay if you're not next to each other, or do you have to be?

Couldn't you book the room that they want, and then your cousin book the room they want?

why don't you get the kind you want and let your cousin get the balcony?

Adjacent/connecting rooms?

St Thomas & San Juan are so much nicer than Nassau.

Let them get the balcony, you & yours get the room across the hall?

If he's that insistent let him pay for the difference?

Good luck!

dk

im kind of a balcony whore myself, but a good friend who i cruise with says this - the entire ship is her balcony! if she wants to go outside, shell just go to the lido. she doesnt feel that its worth paying extra for something she can enjoy for free.

Sorry, but with kids that young I want a balcony. When our Son was younger, we would enjoy our balcony with a nice glass of wine after he was in bed.

I'm usually a balcony person. We have done 2 shorter cruises (4&5 nights) in an oceanview. But for a whole week I can't bring myself to give up the balcony. I'm tagging along to see if somebody can change my mind and save me some money!

I think you've got a tough sell on your hands especially with the kids involved. I'd think the parents would want the balcony to get some space/quiet time from them.

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Definately give up balcony for the longer cruise the Liberty be a much nicer cruise and a newer ship.

But I tell you what I wouldn't take a balcony with her having those kids at such very young ages, I just a worry wart rather avoid the worry of anything happening.

I would never do a balcony for many reasons, maybe they will help your case.

- The money you mentioned. Even if you do the same cruise I would rather put that toward excursions or whatever I do at port.

- There is so much to do on the boat, why do you want to sit in your room? If you have an interior cabin it gets you out of the room and out doing stuff

- I like to take long long long (3-4 hour) naps on days at sea. With an interior your room is pitch black. They try and give you the room darkening curtians, but we all know that doesn't help

- If you get stuck next to a chain smoker you wont want to be out on your balcony anyway, is it worth the risk?

- They often call for Upsell as you get closer to sailing date (maybe not in August), but why pay more now when you can pay less later (worth the risk to me)

- I like having a cabin at the far end of a ship or in an interior row if they have them. I hate having kids run and scream outside your room. If you are at the end of the ship, only people near you are walking by

why don't you get the kind you want and let your cousin get the balcony?

Good idea. We dont spend that much time in cabin so will not pay tht muchmore for balcony.

Can have just as great a time in inside or ov as balcony.

On the other hand sorry to do this if the kids take a nap then balcony be better.

I'm not sure you can. I want a balcony for the personal space outside. Want to walk outside in my robe with my morning OJ and drink in the day. Want to watch the sun rise or set from my little piece of the ship.

I guess it comes down to your budget.

That's hard. We have cruised twice as married couples in suites and it spoiled us. This last time I realized it was either go and spend less or not go at all. We are still spending quite a bit but are flying on free tickets and booked and inside room.

We've decided we aren't going to take any sort of upgrade unless it's to a balcony not even for a porthole. All that will do is give us more light but no more space in the cabin.

I think when all is said and done we'll be happy with our decisions.

As far as telling your friends... by the time you are off the boat on a 7 day cruise you will wish you had longer. Imagine going on a 5 day and you'll feel like you really weren't gone long enough. Two extra days on board and you won't really spend a whole lot more unless you drink and gamble or visit the spa. So spending same dollar amount and two days more IMO would be worth it. But as previous poster said it's really about what they want. And since you are both going together that makes it hard if you both are looking for different things.

I'd never give up my balcony. :)

Same here. No balcony. No go.

Good luck OP!

I'm confused.

Are they paying for the room themselves, or are you folks funding it? Isn't it okay if you're not next to each other, or do you have to be?

Couldn't you book the room that they want, and then your cousin book the room they want?

why don't you get the kind you want and let your cousin get the balcony?

Because they are 5 and I am 1. We need to get two cabins and it's not yet determined how costs will be split (which I'm fine with no matter if I end up paying 50% - my cousin keeps trying to "pay" for things for me because I bought her wedding dress for her and made her wedding cake but I'm in a better finacial situation then they are).

As for the balcony to "escape" to - I'm thinking that's what the second room will be for. If we have connecting interiors, then the kids can be in one room and the parents can have some alone time in the other (me, I'll be in the casino, lol).

Sounds like the cousin is a newbie and relying on advice of someone else. Hope he can have fun no matter where he ends up.

Agree with others, price and itinerary should be the most important factors, as you are not normally in the room much anyways. But, I will have to admit, once we went Balcony, we will never go back, but that's our thing. :D

If your one to use the balcony then I can understand it, for us, we get balcony but not use it more than an hour total in the entire day yes a waste but when I dress my honey can go outside and talk to his father on the balcony....we really do waste that money we not smokers, nor do we sit in our rooms alot maybe just for an hour in the am if that. But I think this time we will use it more, our last many cruises were on RCI where we had that lovely viking crown lounge we would go there alot but since Carnival not offer that kind of space and view I think we be using our balcony maybe for an additional hour a day lol

I say longer cruise always better. lol I have had inside cabins and outside but the past 9 cruises had balcony. Another drawback to Carnivals balcony is that they are much smaller than other cruise lines mainly in lengthwise.

A suggestion, how about having rooms that are on the promenade deck or lido deck either inside or outside where you just take few steps away and you can meet outdoors there.

I'm also a bit confused

Is this their first time crusing? It sounds like they want to tag along on your cruise, or am I missing something here?

If budget is a major concern./priority, than you need to forego the balcony and if they are not ok with that, than they need to be doing all the research and doing all the booking....

I love love LOVE having a balcony BUT...Balcony...?...More time on a Cruise....???...Balcony...??....More time on a Cruise???....NO BRAINER...Give me some more time on a Cruise please...LOL

"LIKE"...or should I say "LOVE" :D