Do you spend the extra money for a balcony cabin or do you get an inside cabin?

[MommaFaye]

We have found that when traveling with friends (we are booked with 3 other couples now) we spend hardly any time in our cabin, so it's not worth the extra money to us. Everyone likes to be "together", so we meet in the public areas and have a great time, then retire to our inside room and sleep like babies!

 

Feb 2005 Summit Cruise

 

Princess Regal 1995

NCL Dreamward 1997

Celebrity Summit 2001

Celebrity Summit 2005

[Cruisin & Schmoozin]

If only all balcony cabins on Princess had tubs! We're leaving THIS SATURDAY!!!!!!! on Caribbean Princess to the eastern Caribbean and have a balcony (splurging for the first cruise). It has only a shower which isn't very spacious according to other cruisers. I'm not sure if you have to upgrade to a mini-suite with balcony on this line to get a tub. Maybe it varies by ship?

 

Several people have joined our cruise's roll call group and are planning a tour of our cabins sometime during the week to check out the different offerings. That should be interesting and helpful. And fun, as it seems there will be at least one balcony party in a mini-suite!

 

Judy

[SANDY BEACH]

Balcony -- Definitely, without a doubt. The cruise has a whole different feel when you're in a balcony. Try it once and you will be able to compare for yourself. Enjoy your cruise.

[momofmeg]

laginog-on Miracle we had a balcony cabin and acrooss from us were the regular sized inside cabins, so check with your TA-you may be able to upgrade to a balcony with your friends across the hall from you. In fact out next door neighbors had friends across the hall from them who were cruizing with them.

 

Carnival Tropicale 10/15/98 Western Caribbean

RCCL Sovereign of the Seas 11/22/99 Bahamas

Carnival Fascination 09/23/00 Southern caribbean

HAL Statendam 05/20/01 Alaska

RCCL Sovereign of the Seas 11/08/01 Bahamas

Pacific Princess 09/29/02 Bermuda

Carnival Inspiration 12/14/03 Western caribbean

Carnival Miracle 04/09/04 Bahamas

[geoherb]

We got a great deal last December on the Grand Princess: A BA balcony cabin for less than $100 per person per day. The weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas have great prices.

 

I'm also signed up to receive emails from the various cruise lines and online travel agencies. It's pretty common to receive some last-minute deals for less than $100 per person per day for great cabins. Unfortunately, I haven't yet been able to take advantage of any of these deals.

[tw1nk1es]

We always book an inside cabin as low as we can go. That is certainly a cabin for the motion-sickness prone! So, then we just look for the least expensive of all and they are always where my poor tummy needs to be anyway

 

Jo

[carmendmun]

I have doen all of the above mentioned, inside, porthole, window, balcony, obstructed. I have to admit a balcony trumps all the rest. There is something about enjoying your room service breakfast on your balcony (in you jammies) before starting your day. Also nice drink before dinner...

 

We will be on a 12 day Med (Celebrity) this June (very port intensive) so I do not know how much we will use the balcony during the day but breakfast ALWAYS!

[fodorspeter]

This advice only applies to NCL. If I were to sail them again, I would book the cheapest inside I could find. Then about 65 days to sailing, I would call the "Reaccomodation" desk at NCL (I have their number if you need it) and start asking about purchasing an upgrade. If its a balcony you want, ask about that. As the final payments come in and cabins free up, NCL will be willing to barter with you. It may take several phone calls but eventually you will get you upgrade for next to nothing! I did this and wound up with a Penthouse Suite for only $200 apiece over the price of our oceanview cabin we had booked. This happens all the time on NCL.

 

Peter

[momofmeg]

geoherb-that is the cruise I wanted but our friends wanted to do Carnival Inspiration because of scuba diving and wanting to go both to Cozumel and Grand Cayman. They wouldn't go for the grand and then I found also Carnival Legend-same price for a balcony ($699) but 8 days but I just couldn't talk them into either. I think Grand left on the 14th like Inspiration and Legend left on the 15th.

 

Anyway as the only balconies on Inspiration were suites and expensive-hubby took me on Miracle in April.

 

Carnival Tropicale 10/15/98 Western Caribbean

RCCL Sovereign of the Seas 11/22/99 Bahamas

Carnival Fascination 09/23/00 Southern caribbean

HAL Statendam 05/20/01 Alaska

RCCL Sovereign of the Seas 11/08/01 Bahamas

Pacific Princess 09/29/02 Bermuda

Carnival Inspiration 12/14/03 Western caribbean

Carnival Miracle 04/09/04 Bahamas

[bibb]

To answer your question, we save the cash. We do a cruise a year plus a foreign land vacation each year and we don't seek a hotel room that has a balcony. We are on the go sightseeing rather than spending time in the room.

 

If money is not an issue to you, do the balcony. If it is, the inside will serve your purpose. In just over a year, we have cruised twice, spent a week in Montana, a week in Las Vegas, and a week in Hawaii. If we saved up to $800 per trip, that adds up to a lot of money.

 

Hope your cruise is your best ever, whatever you do.

 

Bibb

 

From the North banks of the Piscataqua.

 

<font color="red>Test</font>

[D97062262]

You only go around once...... get a balcony !

 

What a way to start the day....coffee on your own private balcony looking at the beautiful scenery in your jammies. It does add something to the cruise. We are "empty nesters" and we are taking cruises quite often now. It is just not a cruise for us without a balcony.

[bdwc]

Balcony!!!!!! We have 2 kids (8 and 10). Someone was always sitting out there while the others were showering, still sleeping or just for time alone. Never had an issue with noise. The way we look at it, the boat is the vacation. Skip an expensive excursion.

 

 Until my feet hit the deck

 

[worldromer]

Varied, as one would expect, posts and NO single RIGHT answer. As authors of The Cheapskate's Guide to Cruises now traveling the globe six months per year we have an opinion on this one. Consider: If there's a collision at sea the outside cabins are the first to go!! (A bit of Inside cabin cruise HUMOR!!) For a romantic high noon interlude a candle lit darkened inside cabin may be perfect! Back to serious: On our Nile River, Yangtze River, Volga River and Irkutsk, Siberia Lake Baikal cruises ALL River crusie ship cabins are outside. So, one easy answer for those world class cruises.

 

To those who tout such as "you only go around once" we prefer to GO AROUND many more times than that and cost SAVINGS makes it happen. Consder the Mercury repositioning cruise we snagged with lowest priced inside cabin. An awesome 32 DAYS, yes 32 DAYS from RIO to San Diego. We paid an astounding $2089 each. The cost of an outside cabin FOR US was prohibitive. The experience, Cape Horn, largest Penguin sanctuary at Punta Tombo etc., was incredible...thank you INSIDE CABIN for making it possible.

 

And, all same low priced inside cabins are not the same. On the Mercury, we snagged a mid ship cabin on the super WIDE hallway just off the ATrium lobby.

 

For sunsests, glacier viewing etc. we are NOT LAZY and are willing to head to an open deck for the BEST 360 degree views. Plus, throw in chaise lounges and waiter service and we are LOVING IT.

 

Bottom line: Whatever works for you is right for YOU. Want to go around once in high style comfort, GREAT! Want to go around 2, 3 or more times and hang out on view decks with the best 360 degree views etc. that is right for us and many others! Oh, last Summer Princess gave us an inside wheel chair cabin on their new Coral Princess inside passage cruise, 217 sq. ft. versus about 185 sq. feet for a balcony cabin. And we paid normal inside cabin super low price. Our shower was the size of THREE balcony cabin showers with a neat fold down shower SEAT. Now, this was (for us) LUXURY. NOTE: We are NOT disabled....Just a Princess thing that at certain booking times they offer these UNUSED/UNBOOKED cabins to anyone requesting same. Happy Travels to ALL.

[kryos]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by snshn3:

we got an inside cabin to our Mediterranean cruise because it is a very port intensive cruise, but now I wonder if I should have booked a balcony cabin in order to enjoy the view....

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Personally, I think it depends on whether you are planning on spending a lot of time in your cabin. If not, why spend the extra money? I can just as easily enjoy the sunsets out on the Lido deck with a nice hot cup of tea or java in my hand.

 

Of course, in my case, I'm already spending the extra money for the single supplement, so I'd rather not spend more for the balcony or outside cabin. The money I save can best be used for another cruise!

 

Blue skies and enjoy your cruise ... no matter what type of cabin you eventually decide on ...

 

--rita

[hotglass]

We usually get a cabin with some type of window. Even if it is just a porthole. That way, we can see the water (this can help decrease seasickness-- although that has not been a problem except the one cruise where I use the scopalimine patch) and the weather. I think otherwise, it's just personal prefer.

 

Cruises Rule

[Charlene]

A balcony or outside cabin are the only way to go!!

Charlene
~~lvs2cruz~~
Sun Princess - Feb.7/05
[img]http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=ff0000&cdt=2005;02;7;17;0;00&timezone=GMT-0700[/img]

[missybirchfield]

We have done all types of rooms. I would highly recommend the balcony and if your budget allows it, get a suite. The bathrooms in the suites of Royal Caribbean are wonderful. Lots of room, with a large tub.

Missy

here we go again!!
[img]http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=800080&cdt=2004;11;28;17;00;00&timezone=GMT-0600[/img]

[calliecat]

We've had an inside and a mini-suite.
I'd go less to have more. This Christmas we're doing Panama and it's either a mini-suite or stay home.
We're doing the mini-suite. When our son quits going with us, we'll do a balcony. Right now we like the extra room. The stuff about not being in your room during the cruise is a bunch of hooey....we found if you have a balcony you stay in your room more. You don't have to elbow for railing room and you can see when it's time to get up!

[trish1c]

Where can I get a copy of the book
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR> Cheapskate's Guide to Cruises <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>?

Thanks.

Trish

[JennyJudy]

We have always booked a cabin with a balcony!

Worth every extra dollar you spend! We've enjoyed watching the sun rise and set privately, listening to the ocean at night, falling asleep to the sounds of the ocean with our glass door open, watching our ship dock at each port, waving to the islanders on land, enjoying a private meal outdoors, or even enjoying a great cup of coffee or our favorite drink on our private deck.

Our balconies have never been noisey, we find the public decks to be more so. This is just our opinion though, and based on our past experiences. It depends on what you plan to do on your cruise, and what you enjoy.

-Jen

[flamingosun]

We usually do Oceanview for 3 & 5 day cruises to the Bahamas.

We like Balconies for Caribbean sailings. Haven't done Europe, but would probably wand a balcony there since it would be such a different itenerary for us.

[ssatterly]

Balcony all the way!!!!!!!

[ASM]

Balcony for sure! I want to savor the view in privacy.

[cricket_h]

I have had inside, outside and outside/balcony cabins....and will [b][i]never[/i][/b] book an inside cabin again. In my own humble opinion, it was like spending a week in a very nice, well-decorated walk-in closet! People say that "you're never in your cabin anyway" -- but I've read studies that showed that the nicer the stateroom, the more time is spent in it! :-)

My first balcony cabin was in Alaska -- and I've never regretted the extra money spent on that. While others were out on deck, crowding the rail to get a view and photos of the glaciers calving, we were enjoying the same view from our own private balcony!

One of my other favorite memories is of my oldest son's first cruise, when he was just under two years of age. We had an ocean view cabin, with a picture window. He'd crawl up into the window ledge, and lay there enjoying the view of the waves!

I understand people wanting to save money -- just keep in mind that although many people find the inside cabins are just fine, very few people actually [i]prefer[/i] them!

Just my two cents :-)

Cricket

[CelticCruiser]

Never had an inside cabin... our TA advised against it for our first cruise (honeymoon). We had an oceanview room for the first two cruises, which was fabulous! The window was so huge (Carnival) that my 6'2", 200 lb. husband could sit in it to read and take pics. Last year we got a great deal on a balcony cabin.

People told us we would never go back. They were right! If you wake before your spouse, you can sit out there & watch the sun come up. Our cabin was on the Lido deck (Conquest); we awaken early, and we'd walk over to the restaurant to bring back coffee & danish. On in-port mornings, we had room service deliver breakfast at a certain time and ate it on the balcony. We had drinks delivered before dinner one night & enjoyed them there. If you're a romantic like we are, it's heaven!

After excursions or swimming, we'd lay things out to dry on the balcony, secured with clips we'd bought along for that purpose. Also great for de-smoking clothing after a night in a "disco".

Our neighbors were also in our group, so all were courteous about noise. There was no cigarette smoke to worry about - the walls between the balconies & the sea breeze ensured that.

We believe so strongly in having some kind of view, we paid to upgrade my son's cabin this year. He & his fiancee are taking their first cruise.

Hope this helps!