AC Penthouse ..too windy??

[KevinsCruising]

Hi, I have a family member interested in booking an AC Penthouse in front on the GEM. Does anyone have any experience with the wind on sea days? Will it be too windy for the balcony? Right now they have a penthouse in the back of the shp but thinking of upgrading to the front.... any comments??

 

Thanks

[jame_g]

We love the AC penthouse, the only reason we don't book them is because they are more expensive than the AE/AD. (Which seems backwards to me. I think NCL should have put the lower level penthouse suites here, they'd fill up instead of having to be upsold. People love the fact that they can get the aft suites for the entry level suite prices. These are the ones that should cost more.)

 

Yes it is windy on the balcony when the ship is moving. This doesn't bother us, but we're out there to take in the sights, take photos, enjoy the view. You have some of the best views from the ship up there. We don't lay out sunning.

[Rileyz]

What deck are they on right now? Deck 10 aft already has large balconies but if they are on 8 or 9 I'd consider the move. AC decks are great.

[KevinsCruising]

Right now they are on Deck 9 PE Penthouse. They want to lay out on their balcony. Thats why I think it may be too windy up front and just tell them to stay where they are. They still get all the suite perks. :rolleyes:

[cmdchiefthom]

I've had the bump-out AC's forward directly under the bridge aboard the Pearl, and we do love the size of the rooms, and the decks. Yes they are windy when the ship is underway, but it certainly doesn't prevent one from catching the some rays while at sea. I did find that with the superstructure towering over the decks however, it did limit the hours of the day when sun would actually hit your individual deck. I felt the hours of sunlight we more limited as compared to suites on the stern of the ship. Another issue is the forward suites, at least those on deck 10, can not be used after dark, as least no lights can be on out on the balcony, and all the drapes have to be drawn to prevent light from interfering with bridge operations directly above. Personally, I'm looking at an aft suite next year aboard the Dawn.;)

[guyver]

It can be windy but the balcony size and views from the front are fantastic.

 

We usually try to book deck 10 aft suites but would not hesitate to book an AC if these weren't available.

 

Actually, if I was to book a Panama Canal cruise, I would likely prefer the AC.

 

Just my $0.02.

[Anthony&David]

Having stayed in an AC and and an AA on the Jewel, I can say that we loved having that balcony on the front of the ship. When sitting out there, you feel like you are the only person on the ship. It is so quiet and peaceful. The only time we have really been bothered by the wind is when you stand at the very front of your balcony while the ship is underway. We found that while laying in a lounger on the front balcony there was very little issue with the wind.

 

Regarding nighttime...Yes, you cannot have your curtains open because the light would impact the view that the bridge has of the ocean. That in no way means that you cannot utilize you balcony at night. Just picture how beautiful and peaceful it can be on a moonlit night out on the ocean. You will be hard pressed to find a more calming and peaceful experience.

 

Lastly, we did find one other use for our large balcony. It is a great location to host a cocktail party for any new friends you met while on board. On our cruise in the AC, we had a group of about 8 to 10 people over for a cocktail party during the last sea day. Our butler was extremely helpful in ensuring we had everything we needed, including snacks.

 

So in a nutshell...WE LOVE THE FRONT BALCONIES!!! :D

[KevinsCruising]

All advice sounds good. Thank you all.

[VideoTech]

Let me add another vote for the forward suites. We've always booked them, and loved them. As one other person here mentioned, we love the feeling that you get of being the only person on the ship, and the views are wonderful when coming into port or cruising someplace like Glacier Bay.

 

We've never had a problem using the balcony at night, as long as you exercise some common sense about keeping the light level down. It is true that the superstructure of the ship, and the higher walls around the balcony, can cut down on sunlight at times during the day, but sometimes it's nice to have a shady patch to sit in.

 

They are windy, and in the winter months, even in the Caribbean, they can be a little chilly on cooler, grey days. For that reason, we're going to try our first Aft suite for a Southern Caribbean cruise in December. I'm going with an open mind, but I think I'll miss seeing where we're going instead of where we've been!

[JDietz40]

Let me add another vote for the forward suites. We've always booked them, and loved them. As one other person here mentioned, we love the feeling that you get of being the only person on the ship, and the views are wonderful when coming into port or cruising someplace like Glacier Bay.

 

This is good to hear as we will be in cabin 10000 on the Pearl and I booked it specifically for the view coming in to Glacier Bay. I don't expect to spend much time laying in the sun on an Alaskan cruise.

[KevinsCruising]

They decided to stay with the AE suite. Main purpose for their cruise is use of their balcony. Thanks everyone :p

[Jadesmomva]

OK - you all seem to be suite experts so I'll post this here - DH and I are taking a family vacation (17 of us) and we're escaping the family block of rooms (where all those witih children will be living) to treat ourselves to a forward penthouse (AC - Deck 9) on the Jewel this June.

 

We're new to the Jewel and new to penthouse living....what should we expect? Best perks to be sure not to miss? So what do the butler/concierge really do? In other words, what do I need to know about how "the other half lives" to take full advantage of the treat we're giving ourselves (and to make the rest of the family jealous :)) ?

 

Many thanks in advance for any information you can share!

 

Cheers!

Michele