Tired of Veranda Balcony

[Cruising-along]

I'm trying to figure out how anyone could get tired of having a balcony. :confused:

 

If money were no object, we would have a balcony on every cruise. But cost is a consideration, so we book a balcony for cruises with a lot of warm-weather sea days, or just a warm-weather cruise in general because we know we'll get a lot of use out of the balcony. We've had a few cruises that really were too cold to get any use out of it, and in those cases we were happy with an outside with a window. :)

 

I probably use the balcony more than DH does. I love to sit in the lounger with a good book and glass of wine....love to have room service breakfast or dinner out there....and love to just star-gaze in the evenings in my robe. :)

[B Russo]

Would not go without a balcony. Bill

[IRL_Joanie]

While I do not consider myself a Balcony Snob, I might be considered one by others as we never book anything withour one.

 

I am severly claustrophobic and have had one horrible experience back in 1986 (I believe it was '86) when the US Army paid for us to be restationed from Germany to Greece and paid for us to take a Car Ferry (we had 2 cars) from Brindissi to Piraeus. Unfortunately, they booked us in an inside cabin with 3 bunk beds.........Believe me, I ever stayed in that cabin the entire 3 days on the ship/Ferry!!! As soon as we went into the cabine I started freaking because of its lack of size (10x10) and no windows:(

 

So for us, NO Verandah/Balcony = No cruise!!

 

Joanie

[NMLady]

We accepted an upsell offer to a balcony on our Amsterdam 14day Alaska cruise and enjoyed every minute of it. But our budget doesn't usually allow for a balcony. We choose our cruises by itinerary and budget price.

[boards]

I would like to do balconies, but they are waste for us because DW does not enjoy them. We were upgraded on the Noordam and she was on the balcony only when the ship docked in port. We had an HH on the Maasdam last cruise and it worked out great for her and I got the biggest balcony. Next time a Cat J will do just fine. Hopefully it will be the Statendam Feb. 2014.

[elleks]

My husband has health problems, and frequently sleeps late or goes to bed early. I don't always want to wander round the ship on my own, so a balcony where I could sit with a book and a glass of wine or cup of coffee(depending on the time of day!) would be great.

[trikeman]

For us it depends on which cruise line and the itinerary as to whether we get one or not. I have to sleep sitting up sometimes and furniture on some cruise lines is the most uncomfortable that money can buy. On princess I can bring in a chair from the veranda which is a lot more comfortable. On HAL the itinerary decides if we get one or not. If it's port intensive an inside or OV is just fine with me, since we will not have that much time to use it.

[moniquet]

Whats not to like about a balcony, one of the highlights of a cruise even if not spending much time on it. We have had a suite last twice and loved the larger balcony. Would be nice not to be bothered though and get the bottom rates:)

[maxie99]

We sometimes book a balcony and sometimes prefer the Main Deck Outside View cabins if we will be in waters that could be rough. We rarely stay in one place on ship anyway, preferring to be watching activities entering and leaving port, or in scenic areas from other positions on the ship that offer the best photographic advantage. Too many constrictions from your own balcony. That, and the fact we've been "smoked out" several times make a balcony a lot less interesting to us.

Same here, i feel lonely when on the balcony, i feel like I'm missing the action up top , anyway, they are also way too windy on sea days,:eek:

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Face it, it really is not if anyone likes or gets tired of a balcony it really is all about the cost. If cost was no issue everyone of you would be booking a deluxe verandah suite or the PH. The question is really how important is it to spend the money to have the extra sq footage and views of a balcony. The ones who say they do not want the high tub then you get an H/C cabin. We have done 36 cruises and only two times did we have an ocean view, the first cruise and the third cruise. I do however agree totally with the person who stated they could cruise a lot more by getting Interior cabins. Now that makes sense especially if you are looking at the S and R Class HAL ships and I applaud you for your honesty ;) I will admit I even recently was looking at a category D or C OV but decided it would still be stupid on my part. I am not about to pay more for an OV for 13 days on the Maasdam in an OV (the cost was $200 more PP) when I can get a category VD with that double balcony I booked many months ago for 15 days on the Eurodam for basically the same itinerary :o For those looking only at the S and R Class I honestly do not blame you because HAL does have those Verandah Suites priced a bit too high. In some cases they end up giving them away some times not.

[boards]

Thank you for your comments about comparing costs of an OV cabin on the Maasdam to VD on the Eurodam with a comparable itinerary, I have not looked at that comparsion before, I will now in our future planning. Balconies are still not DW's first choice.

[solocanadian]

We like having our balcony as well:) Enjoy sitting out there at night and watching the waves go by:)

That is nice when you have a significant other.:) However when you cruise solo the balcony loses a lot of that charm especailly the cost now for single suppliment.:eek:

[George C]

When I started cruising there were no balcony (1975), 1st cruise we had with one was about 1995 or so on Princess and it was all of 3 foot deep. Now we always get one, normally book the small suite and sometimes upsell to large one. As long as we can afford it will book it with balcony.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

That is nice when you have a significant other.:) However when you cruise solo the balcony loses a lot of that charm especailly the cost now for single suppliment.:eek:

Gail, I really think it depends on what you enjoy about a balcony. Granted I do not cruise Solo but Tom spends far more time out on the balcony than I do, let's just say he practically lives out there reading. While I may be up in the spa for the day. For him it does not matter if I am there or not. I have to admit if I was to cruise solo and money was no concern then I would go for the balcony but with having to pay double yes I would take a second look. I have a single friend that cruises with us frequently and if she cannot get a room mate then will not go if she cannot afford the balcony. To her it is that important. I think I probably would be fine with an interior cabin as long as I could find a deck chair to go out and read. :)

[sapper1]

No balcony - no cruise!!

 

Now that's the spirit. :D

[igraf]

We have enjoyed both Veranda and Ocean View cabins. Either type sure beats being at work!

 

The answer depends on outdoor temperature, number of days at sea and of course the price premium. Do you spend a lot of time in your stateroom? If so, then a balcony is nice.

 

igraf

 

 

 

 

 

We have got into the habit of booking balcony cabin and spend a lot of time on them during the cruise. Do other cruiser get tired of them. Do they trade up or trade down and what are the advantages of both?

ChelseaSailor

[djhsolara]

We have always done a balcony on HAL, however our upcoming sailing is in an inside. We usually spend some time on the balcony but not a lot. We did the 5th floor aft corner on Westerdam (an SC) once and LOVED that huge balcony...and that is what we're doing on our Panama Canal sailing in October. When we had that HUGE balcony we did spend time out there and even had a few meals out there as well.

 

As a side note: We sailed on RC this past fall during Superstorm Sandy (yes, we were on THAT ship) and booked an oceanview. We were never so glad for that decision when all of the balcony staterooms on our floor were flooded from all of the rain and 120mph winds.

 

Sent from my GT-P3113 using Tapatalk 2

[bra1nchild]

On the S and R class ships, we prefer inside midship cabins, especially the Cat J mentioned elsewhere. The inside cabin allows me to sleep better although I am still awake when the sun hits the bulkhead.

 

On the Prinsendam, however, we usually book Cat E [#451] OV midship on Dolphin deck. This location is close to everything and "forces" us to use the stairs to get some exercise every day.

 

We have booked a balcony only once -- a Christmas cruise on the Westerdam -- but it was a waste of money between the rain and DW's acrophobia. A balcony is of no value when you are afraid of heights.

[nana51]

I, too, have found that we really enjoy that location on the S class ships.

 

Until last January, we'd always booked verandas. A couple times they were unusable because of smoking on nearby locations...so we tried an outside "D" on the stern of the Maasdam in January, and in May, a "J" on the Veendam in May...both on the LP deck. Loved them!

 

I find that we prefer to be out and about on the ship rather than confined to our own verandah, so it works for us.

I agree. We have booked balcony twice. The last cruise we went "cheap" and got an outside with a big window. We were very pleased. We spend very little time in the cabin and there isn't much to see on the cruise to Mexico. So last time and this time we are doing outside with a big window. However when we do Alaska we will get a balcony.

[ellieanne]

Face it, it really is not if anyone likes or gets tired of a balcony it really is all about the cost. If cost was no issue everyone of you would be booking a deluxe verandah suite or the PH. The question is really how important is it to spend the money to have the extra sq footage and views of a balcony. The ones who say they do not want the high tub then you get an H/C cabin.

 

I find that statement insulting. For my upcoming cruise I was given the opportunity to book whatever cabin category I wanted -- it as a gift and the giver put no restrictions on it. I even asked about booking the Penthouse Suite and was told "if that's what you want." For that cruise money was no object and I still chose an ocean view cabin on the Main Deck, because that is what I really want.

 

I really do not enjoy the balcony cabins. I know my first post in this thread indicated that I do not find the additional cost to be worth it, but really I actually prefer the ocean view cabins. Others may actually prefer inside cabins.

 

Isn't it nice that HAL offers a variety of cabins to suit everyone's tastes, regardless of budgetary concerns?

 

Also, isn't it really poor form to book an accessible cabin if you have no real need for one?

[cruisemom42]

I must be one of the easiest going cruisers when it comes to cabins. I can be quite finicky about itinerary, food, entertainment, and general ambiance of the ship, but I can park myself in just about any cabin and be happy. I've had cabins ranging from tiny and in the bilge to oceanview to deluxe with balcony on the top floor to mini-suite on various ships.

 

Balconies are nice, but I'd never not cruise an itinerary I was interested in if I didn't have one. Exceptions would be a Caribbean cruise or an Alaska cruise, where you'd get a lot of use from a balcony. But for the Med or Baltics or any other port-intensive trip, nah, I can easily do without.

 

Also, with the solo supplement, there's a pretty big price difference, and I'd rather take 2-3 trips per year than one "splashout" trip.

[Northshorecruisers]

We're in the balcony group. We use ours quite a bit from morning coffee (and occasional breakfast) to drinks before dinner and an evening nightcap. We love sitting out there in the peace and quiet and just watch the ocean float by.

 

Although I would love to book inside for the cost savings, I don't think we would enjoy our vacation as much.

[IRL_Joanie]

I find that statement insulting. For my upcoming cruise I was given the opportunity to book whatever cabin category I wanted -- it as a gift and the giver put no restrictions on it. I even asked about booking the Penthouse Suite and was told "if that's what you want." For that cruise money was no object and I still chose an ocean view cabin on the Main Deck, because that is what I really want.

 

I really do not enjoy the balcony cabins. I know my first post in this thread indicated that I do not find the additional cost to be worth it, but really I actually prefer the ocean view cabins. Others may actually prefer inside cabins.

 

Isn't it nice that HAL offers a variety of cabins to suit everyone's tastes, regardless of budgetary concerns?

 

Also, isn't it really poor form to book an accessible cabin if you have no real need for one?

 

Thank You!!! YES it is extremely Wrong to book a Handicapped stateroom only because you wish easier access to a tub, more sq footage or any other reason UNLESS you or someone cruiseing with you in your stateroom is Handicapped and needs it!!

 

There are on average on the HAL ships, only 12-14 Handicapped staterooms and to book one when you do not need it due to being Handicapped is just wrong!!!

 

Now to be fair, I do not think that Lisa meant her statement to come out and be understood as she wrote it. I am 100% positive she did not mean to imply that a non handicapped person should book a Handicapped room if they are not handicapped.

 

Joanie

[LAFFNVEGAS]

I find that statement insulting. For my upcoming cruise I was given the opportunity to book whatever cabin category I wanted -- it as a gift and the giver put no restrictions on it. I even asked about booking the Penthouse Suite and was told "if that's what you want." For that cruise money was no object and I still chose an ocean view cabin on the Main Deck, because that is what I really want.

 

I really do not enjoy the balcony cabins. I know my first post in this thread indicated that I do not find the additional cost to be worth it, but really I actually prefer the ocean view cabins. Others may actually prefer inside cabins.

 

Isn't it nice that HAL offers a variety of cabins to suit everyone's tastes, regardless of budgetary concerns?

 

Also, isn't it really poor form to book an accessible cabin if you have no real need for one?

 

I am not being Insulting I am being factual, if every single cabin was priced exactly the same would you honestly book an Inside or Ocean View ???? My guess is NO, we would all book early and take the Suites, everyone is going to take the best they can get for the money they are willing to spend. In your example you were given any cabin you want....in my wildest dreams I would never take advantage of anyone I personally knew that was giving me something and would probably book an Interior or Ocean View. I am sure subconsciousness was telling you the same thing. ;) No one wants to appear to be greedy.

 

Thank You!!! YES it is extremely Wrong to book a Handicapped stateroom only because you wish easier access to a tub, more sq footage or any other reason UNLESS you or someone cruiseing with you in your stateroom is Handicapped and needs it!!

 

There are on average on the HAL ships, only 12-14 Handicapped staterooms and to book one when you do not need it due to being Handicapped is just wrong!!!

 

Now to be fair, I do not think that Lisa meant her statement to come out and be understood as she wrote it. I am 100% positive she did not mean to imply that a non handicapped person should book a Handicapped room if they are not handicapped.

 

Joanie

 

About my H/C comment anyone that has difficulty getting into a Bathtub does have a disability and they certainly are not taking it away from someone that needs it because they obviously need it. That is what the H/C cabins are for, there are also several balcony cabins on the Vista and Signature ships that do not have bath tubs, they are toward the aft on decks 4 and 5. So the way I wrote it is exactly what I meant. HAL certainly does not want someone in a cabin with a bathtub that has difficulty getting in and out and could cause harm to themselves. (trust me they do not want to be sued) I cannot tell you how many times a month that the H/C cabins are not booked, many get assigned these as Guarantees and some are OK with it some are extremely upset. I have had to make numerous calls to HAL trying to get them something other than a H/C they were assigned. If anyone has any type of mobility issue they can and should take a H/C cabin.

[BumperII]

Well, I think some of the comments were directed at my post. I found no offense in any response.

 

Of course it is about money, it always is. First rule of economics is 'There ain't no free lunch', and the second rule is that we all have unlimited wants and limited resources.

 

That said, several posters have referred to the J cabins on R and S class ships. Well, they are our favorite cabins too. We will be in J 352 on the Ryndam and J 354 on the Maasdam in May. Thanks to the Rev. Neal for the tip. These cabins leave us just a few short steps from the biggest balcony on the ship.

 

Now, play nice!!:D