Thanks, cruise ship balcony!! A commentary..

[Mithril379@aol.com]

I've only had balcony rooms so I can't compare them to the interior rooms, but I completely agree with everything you said about the appeal of having a balcony. I just booked a cruise for May where I'll have an aft wrap balcony - I'm thrilled with this balcony bonanza:)

Edited December 15, 2013 by Mithril379@aol.com

[cruisebear84]

Just wanted to chime in again after my first cruise...the balcony upgrade was the best decision we made! We spent 75% of our cruise there... Like Al said, we enjoyed coming back to our room all the time because of the view. Saw my first wild dolphins when we docked at port Canaveral, and the best seats for sail away with the view of the Statue of Liberty. We would spend hours just tanning and enjoying the quiet of our private balcony. And yes, definitely helpful for figuring out the weather! "Well, it says 71 degrees but it feels windy, let's grab a sweater just in case..." Luckily ended up with a bed right by the balcony so we would relax with the door wide open-- who needs room air conditioning?? Thanks, balcony cabin!! :D :cool:

 

Edit: I had breakfast on our balcony as suggested, and highly recommend it!

Edited December 23, 2013 by cruisebear84

[#55worktoplay]

Just wanted to chime in again after my first cruise...the balcony upgrade was the best decision we made! We spent 75% of our cruise there... Like Al said, we enjoyed coming back to our room all the time because of the view. Saw my first wild dolphins when we docked at port Canaveral, and the best seats for sail away with the view of the Statue of Liberty. We would spend hours just tanning and enjoying the quiet of our private balcony. And yes, definitely helpful for figuring out the weather! "Well, it says 71 degrees but it feels windy, let's grab a sweater just in case..." Luckily ended up with a bed right by the balcony so we would relax with the door wide open-- who needs room air conditioning?? Thanks, balcony cabin!! :D :cool:

 

Edit: I had breakfast on our balcony as suggested, and highly recommend it!

 

Well I would like to say that I have been on 10 cruises so far and I have been looking and looking for dolphins, I have never seen anything other than the Cuban stowaways that we had to pick up.

 

Early in my cruise life back in 1993 we were in an inside cabin where there were upper and lower bunks it was small but didn't know any better and we were on a Cruise ship, it was the Carnival Carnivale, it was the greatest thing since sliced bread at the time - we were on a cruise ship yippee... So moving on I think 10 years passed and we are going on our second cruise (remember this is 2003 now) but my what a cruise ship it was - the Carnival Fascination well this is a big ship and now we are certainly moving up in the world. Again in an inside cabin because we didn't know any better and I too was not thrifty but I was cheap, but this one had two twin beds oh my it was lovely, again we saw the whole ship all around the clock because like Big Al says you just don't want to be closed in like that. Moving along two years later our cdn dollar wasn't worth much and there was a Nascar cruise with Dale Earnhardt Junior we had to go but it was 899.00 per person in an inside cabin and that was before taking our 45% currency exchange cut so it was very expensive for a 4 ngt cruise. Well now we truly entered the broom closet on the Majesty of the Seas(OMG). From that cruise on we have booked balcony cabins and oh my we were in fantasyland.

 

On our last two cruises we have been upgraded to Junior Suites and OH MY I will not only NEVER go on a cruise ship in an inside cabin and how spoiled I have been with a Junior Suite with a walk-in closet for my own dressing room, it will be hard to go back to a balcony. In either case breakfast on the balcony, watching all the last minute runners getting back to the ship watching for those infamous dolphins that I have yet to see, listening to the sea, smelling the air etc..it is all just wonderful and I love seeing other ships from a distance at night with all the lights on. Never again will I be in a broom closet.

[big al]

Just wanted to chime in again after my first cruise...the balcony upgrade was the best decision we made! We spent 75% of our cruise there... Like Al said, we enjoyed coming back to our room all the time because of the view. Saw my first wild dolphins when we docked at port Canaveral, and the best seats for sail away with the view of the Statue of Liberty. We would spend hours just tanning and enjoying the quiet of our private balcony. And yes, definitely helpful for figuring out the weather! "Well, it says 71 degrees but it feels windy, let's grab a sweater just in case..." Luckily ended up with a bed right by the balcony so we would relax with the door wide open-- who needs room air conditioning?? Thanks, balcony cabin!! :D :cool:

 

Edit: I had breakfast on our balcony as suggested, and highly recommend it!

 

Well I would like to say that I have been on 10 cruises so far and I have been looking and looking for dolphins, I have never seen anything other than the Cuban stowaways that we had to pick up.

 

Early in my cruise life back in 1993 we were in an inside cabin where there were upper and lower bunks it was small but didn't know any better and we were on a Cruise ship, it was the Carnival Carnivale, it was the greatest thing since sliced bread at the time - we were on a cruise ship yippee... So moving on I think 10 years passed and we are going on our second cruise (remember this is 2003 now) but my what a cruise ship it was - the Carnival Fascination well this is a big ship and now we are certainly moving up in the world. Again in an inside cabin because we didn't know any better and I too was not thrifty but I was cheap, but this one had two twin beds oh my it was lovely, again we saw the whole ship all around the clock because like Big Al says you just don't want to be closed in like that. Moving along two years later our cdn dollar wasn't worth much and there was a Nascar cruise with Dale Earnhardt Junior we had to go but it was 899.00 per person in an inside cabin and that was before taking our 45% currency exchange cut so it was very expensive for a 4 ngt cruise. Well now we truly entered the broom closet on the Majesty of the Seas(OMG). From that cruise on we have booked balcony cabins and oh my we were in fantasyland.

 

On our last two cruises we have been upgraded to Junior Suites and OH MY I will not only NEVER go on a cruise ship in an inside cabin and how spoiled I have been with a Junior Suite with a walk-in closet for my own dressing room, it will be hard to go back to a balcony. In either case breakfast on the balcony, watching all the last minute runners getting back to the ship watching for those infamous dolphins that I have yet to see, listening to the sea, smelling the air etc..it is all just wonderful and I love seeing other ships from a distance at night with all the lights on. Never again will I be in a broom closet.

 

cruisebear & 55worktoplay: Great comments both of you!! I can't tell you how many people I meet who say,"Oh,we're NEVER in our cabin, why spend more on a balcony?" Again, I ALWAYS respond,"the reason you're never in your cabin is because you have a crummy cabin..I wouldn't spend any time in that cabin, either"....85% of those who say things like that, HAVE NEVER HAD A BALCONY/SUITE!! Another point I mentioned in my original post: it's your vacation- treat yourself to something special..if you're the "inside cabin only" type of person, save a bit more $$, and SPLURGE- you'll love it and like soooo many others posting here, you'll never go back to the broom closet, and you too, will be saying, "Thanks, cruise ship balcony!"...

 

Big Al

[Crosby678]

My wife and I are booked on the carnival Valor . It sails from March 2 thro Maech 9. Has anyone taken the train in St. Kitts and who did you book it through? Thanks

[Bronzed Aussie]

I was thinking about this post today, big al. My daughter took me out shopping for six hours today. Once upon a time that wouldn't phase me but I am much older now. When I got home (and could barely move I was so tired) I thought how nice it will be if I come back to the ship exhausted after a port day to call room service, go out on my balcony, put my feet up, and eat dinner. Wouldn't want to sit in a closet (inside cabin) and do that!

 

I just got off a ship tour of the NCL Breakaway..very nice ship, BTW...they had a dinner for us, and at the dinner I sat next to another cruise agent and we were discussing various cruise lines & ships...she mentioned she just got off the Carnival Dream and it cost her only XXX dollars..I said, "wow a balcony for only $xxx??"...she goes, "oh no, we always get an inside cabin"...I said, "Not me, I'm not spending a week in a broom closet, and you miss all the great things that come with a balcony..the whole feeling CONNECTED to the sea, the ship, the sky, the salt air, the marine life, the weather, other cruise ships passing....not to mention your own private verandah where you can read, sip a drink, fall asleep to the mesmorizing sounds of the sea, or just gaze out at the waves & white caps.." Funny, everybody at the table ( about 10 of us) said, "yeah, that sounds great, but I'm only in my cabin to sleep & shower"..."that's cause you have a terrible cabin- I would DREAD going back to that , and I did when we had an inside on the Majesty once...but now when I book a balcony, I can't WAIT to open the door and walk outside onto my private haven of sun & sea wonders...do you that when you open the door to your inside cabin?"....DEAD SILENCE.......I say it again- a balcony completely changes your whole experience on your cruise..those of you who have done both an inside & a balcony, please share your thoughts on the difference.....

 

Big Al

We are booked on a cruise in the Mediterranean in April 2014, after reading your posts we are really glad we booked a balcony stateroom. Cheers!

[Happy ks]

Big Al, your story sounds a lot like ours. We started cruising in inside, the OV, then balcony. Now we tend to book mini or jr. suites for the extra space. It's better for our marriage to not be knocking into each other all week.

 

A couple years ago, we went on a 4 night cruise, just a coastal CA in December. We figured, save the money, get an inside, the weather won't be nice anyway. The very first comment my husband made when we got to our cabin was, "why didn't I bring a sledgehammer, to knock a hole in the wall?". We felt like we were in a cave for 4 days.

 

Yes, we did go out of the cabin and around the ship, we did get off in port (pouring rain in Santa Barbara). But each and every time returning to the cabin was a downer. I respect that some people just don't want to spend the extra, some truly don't spend any time in their cabin…and there has to be someone cruising in those inside cabins. It just won't ever be us again.

 

Another thing that is great about a balcony (guys won't care about this), applying makeup. The lighting at the desk is not good for makeup application, the bathroom, forget it, I can't do makeup while standing and possibly swaying with the ship. Not to mention the husband is in the shower then and it's all steamy in there. Give me a nice little glass of wine, my hand mirror, put my feet up and spend time painting my face and gazing at the ocean, pure heaven :)

[big al]

Big Al, your story sounds a lot like ours. We started cruising in inside, the OV, then balcony. Now we tend to book mini or jr. suites for the extra space. It's better for our marriage to not be knocking into each other all week.

 

A couple years ago, we went on a 4 night cruise, just a coastal CA in December. We figured, save the money, get an inside, the weather won't be nice anyway. The very first comment my husband made when we got to our cabin was, "why didn't I bring a sledgehammer, to knock a hole in the wall?". We felt like we were in a cave for 4 days.

 

Yes, we did go out of the cabin and around the ship, we did get off in port (pouring rain in Santa Barbara). But each and every time returning to the cabin was a downer. I respect that some people just don't want to spend the extra, some truly don't spend any time in their cabin…and there has to be someone cruising in those inside cabins. It just won't ever be us again.

 

Another thing that is great about a balcony (guys won't care about this), applying makeup. The lighting at the desk is not good for makeup application, the bathroom, forget it, I can't do makeup while standing and possibly swaying with the ship. Not to mention the husband is in the shower then and it's all steamy in there. Give me a nice little glass of wine, my hand mirror, put my feet up and spend time painting my face and gazing at the ocean, pure heaven :)

 

Happy ks- I couldn't have said it better! Your thoughts & comments are EXACTLY what I say..I love the Sledgehammer comment...and I say again: when I had an inside cabin, I DREADED going back there, even as we walked down the hall ( especially then!!)..and then you open that door and the realization comes true- you are back in your dark, sombre, broom closet...again, I follow what my Dad used to say.."be cheap at home, work hard if you must, but don't be cheap on your vacations- you deserve something decent and life's too short"....sometimes a balcony is as little as $20 more pp ( or less!) per day, or only $280 more for two people for a WHOLE 7 days, and still some say "too much"...I have been to a hotel where I have booked a room with a view of the parking lot or ( worse) a view of the garbage dumps, and then an agent said, "for $40 more a night I can get you a room on the 10th floor with a huge balcony over-looking the beach"..I am soooo there! Sometimes I leave skid marks on my way to my new OCEANFRONT room...Thanks. cruise ship balcony!

[big al]

We are booked on a cruise in the Mediterranean in April 2014, after reading your posts we are really glad we booked a balcony stateroom. Cheers!

 

Good choice!! The Mediterranean is so beautiful...the color of the water is different from the Caribbean- a little deeper blue..kinda like Hawaii...don't forget to go out there ANY time including at night..if it's a starry night or moonlit night, it's soooo romantic and mesmorizing...try leaving the balcony door open sometimes ( if not too hot or cold) and let fresh sea air get in and listen to the waves- all things inside/ outside window cabin people miss out on..you FEEL so connected to the sea..kinda like "this is where I belong on my cruise vacation holiday!"...As I have said, a balcony completely changes your cruise experience by enhancing your senses-visual, smell, audio, and all that is ZERO in an inside cabin... Tip- bring binocs.....Cheers, and have a great cruise!!

 

Big Al

[14Terry]

We had inside rooms on our first 2 cruises. Been in balcony cabins or JS cabins on the last 4 and also on our upcoming cruise. I am hooked!

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[rugbypopsie]

So many of the ships are inwards facing, no big atrium etc. that it would be easy to forget you were on a ship..I love balconies, to see hear and smell the ocean. The bliss of sitting there with the endless horizon spread before you..priceless.

 

Sue

[big al]

We had inside rooms on our first 2 cruises. Been in balcony cabins or JS cabins on the last 4 and also on our upcoming cruise. I am hooked!

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

So many of the ships are inwards facing, no big atrium etc. that it would be easy to forget you were on a ship..I love balconies, to see hear and smell the ocean. The bliss of sitting there with the endless horizon spread before you..priceless.

 

Sue

 

THTALKS: tough to go back,huh? My first cruise was a window cabin on CCL Fantasy in '90..then another window on CCL Sensation, followed by that dreaded broom closet on the RCI Majesty Of The Seas in '96..then CCL Paradise another window...after we had our first balcony on the Grand Princess ( mini-suite upgrade, wonderful, w a butler!!) in 2000, we were also hooked!! 25 cruises later, still can't wait to go out there and be blown away by the sights, sounds & smells of the sea...

 

rugbyposie:I still say that a balcony cabin makes you feel more CONNECTED to your cruise...and 90-95% of those people who opt for the less $$ insides have NEVER tried a balcony cabin...like THTALKS, once you've been in one, you're hooked for life, IMO...Thanks, cruise ship balcony!

 

Big Al

[welovecruzin]

We are taking our grown kids on Enchantment in May. I Booked three side by side balcony cabins. Does anyone know if the barrier/walls between balconies are removable. I seem to remember reading something about that in the past.

[vldreamer]

THTALKS: tough to go back,huh? My first cruise was a window cabin on CCL Fantasy in '90..then another window on CCL Sensation, followed by that dreaded broom closet on the RCI Majesty Of The Seas in '96..then CCL Paradise another window...after we had our first balcony on the Grand Princess ( mini-suite upgrade, wonderful, w a butler!!) in 2000, we were also hooked!! 25 cruises later, still can't wait to go out there and be blown away by the sights, sounds & smells of the sea...

 

rugbyposie:I still say that a balcony cabin makes you feel more CONNECTED to your cruise...and 90-95% of those people who opt for the less $$ insides have NEVER tried a balcony cabin...like THTALKS, once you've been in one, you're hooked for life, IMO...Thanks, cruise ship balcony!

 

Big Al

 

Hi Big Al, I am a newbie here and have never cruised in my 60 yrs...My friend at work cruises twice a year and always gets an inside cabin. She says the same thing "We are never in our room"...I am looking into a cruise, solo, being a widow and she is trying to help me plan my adventure..I keep telling her that I do not want an inside cabin I want a balcony so I can enjoy the oceanview. She thinks I am crazy for spending the extra money:eek: So I joined this website trying to get ideas on planning this new experience by myself. So much info here hard to figure out what cruiseline to choose but will continue searching and thank you for post on the balcony cabins......

[Fiestasal]

Can anyone tell me how the enclosed, cove balconies are compared to a regular balcony? Do they feel closed in? Can you see the water when sitting on the balcony?

 

We are booked on NCL Dawn

 

Thanks

[rugbypopsie]

Can anyone tell me how the enclosed, cove balconies are compared to a regular balcony? Do they feel closed in? Can you see the water when sitting on the balcony?

 

We are booked on NCL Dawn

 

Thanks

 

Do you mean the balconies that are cut into the hull? If so I like them...you can shelter from the sun or the wind and are not overlooked from the levels above you. You can see the sea and if on one of the lower decks hear it was well.

 

Sue

[big al]

Hi Big Al, I am a newbie here and have never cruised in my 60 yrs...My friend at work cruises twice a year and always gets an inside cabin. She says the same thing "We are never in our room"...I am looking into a cruise, solo, being a widow and she is trying to help me plan my adventure..I keep telling her that I do not want an inside cabin I want a balcony so I can enjoy the oceanview. She thinks I am crazy for spending the extra money:eek: So I joined this website trying to get ideas on planning this new experience by myself. So much info here hard to figure out what cruiseline to choose but will continue searching and thank you for post on the balcony cabins......

 

IMO, your friend is never in her cabin BECAUSE THERE'S NO REASON TO BE IN A BROOM CLOSET WHILE AT SEA!! As I have said, why would you want to be on a cruise at sea, if you cannot be a part of the sea, or see the sea? I, also, was NEVER in that mole of a cabin...why would anyone want to be in a small, dark, boring cabin? FYI: When I had an inside cabin, my wife & I DREADED going back in there..BUT, when we got our first balcony, we actually WALKED FAST to get inside and go out onto our "private little haven"..Would you book a room at a hotel that had no windows for your vacation? The kind of cabin you choose is directly related to how much you will enjoy your cruise... Your friend, as I said a few posts back, is one of those who HAS NEVER been in a balcony, so she doesn't know the AMAZING ADVENTURES YOU EXPERIENCE in a balcony cabin....what adventures do you get in an inside cabin? Claustrophobia? No sunshine? No amazing views of the sea? No seeing passing ships & islands go by? No breakfast on your private balcony? Read my first post that started this thread, then decide...once again, A BALCONY COMPLETELY ENHANCES YOUR CRUISE EXPERIENCE- an inside cabin completely shelters you from THE SEA...is that what you want? No sun, no light, no salt air, no wind, no waves & whitecaps, no idea what the weather is, no sipping a beverage on your verandah being mesmorized by the ocean wonders??? It's YOUR vacation- book what YOU want...take it from a guy who has done 29 cruises in all 4 catagories, inside, outside window, balcony & suite....BOOK a balcony!!!

 

Big Al

 

P.S. Vldreamer- if you need advice on what line to choose or where to go, give a shout- I am also about your age...I would choose Royal Caribbean ( Freedom or Oasis class), Celebrity ( Solstice class) or Princess ( Grand class) for my first cruise..that's my opinion..try & choose newer, bigger ships...more to do, dine, more choices overall...

[big al]

Can anyone tell me how the enclosed, cove balconies are compared to a regular balcony? Do they feel closed in? Can you see the water when sitting on the balcony?

 

We are booked on NCL Dawn

 

Thanks

 

You may want to post this on the Norwegian thread.....they will respond ASAP...

[vldreamer]

IMO, your friend is never in her cabin BECAUSE THERE'S NO REASON TO BE IN A BROOM CLOSET WHILE AT SEA!! As I have said, why would you want to be on a cruise at sea, if you cannot be a part of the sea, or see the sea? I, also, was NEVER in that mole of a cabin...why would anyone want to be in a small, dark, boring cabin? FYI: When I had an inside cabin, my wife & I DREADED going back in there..BUT, when we got our first balcony, we actually WALKED FAST to get inside and go out onto our "private little haven"..Would you book a room at a hotel that had no windows for your vacation? The kind of cabin you choose is directly related to how much you will enjoy your cruise... Your friend, as I said a few posts back, is one of those who HAS NEVER been in a balcony, so she doesn't know the AMAZING ADVENTURES YOU EXPERIENCE in a balcony cabin....what adventures do you get in an inside cabin? Claustrophobia? No sunshine? No amazing views of the sea? No seeing passing ships & islands go by? No breakfast on your private balcony? Read my first post that started this thread, then decide...once again, A BALCONY COMPLETELY ENHANCES YOUR CRUISE EXPERIENCE- an inside cabin completely shelters you from THE SEA...is that what you want? No sun, no light, no salt air, no wind, no waves & whitecaps, no idea what the weather is, no sipping a beverage on your verandah being mesmorized by the ocean wonders??? It's YOUR vacation- book what YOU want...take it from a guy who has done 29 cruises in all 4 catagories, inside, outside window, balcony & suite....BOOK a balcony!!!

 

Big Al

 

P.S. Vldreamer- if you need advice on what line to choose or where to go, give a shout- I am also about your age...I would choose Royal Caribbean ( Freedom or Oasis class), Celebrity ( Solstice class) or Princess ( Grand class) for my first cruise..that's my opinion..try & choose newer, bigger ships...more to do, dine, more choices overall...

 

Big Al..Thanks again..:) Yes I get claustrophia..I thought that was part of the adventure to enjoy the sun, ocean, salt air, so it always confused me why she always get inside cabin..I guess to each his own. Thank you for the advise on the cruise line also..will let you know what I find. I think my first cruise will be in Sept or October so I can save enough money to get the best:o. P.S. I do like the idea of a casino on board...Thank You again

[big al]

Big Al..Thanks again..:) Yes I get claustrophia..I thought that was part of the adventure to enjoy the sun, ocean, salt air, so it always confused me why she always get inside cabin..I guess to each his own. Thank you for the advise on the cruise line also..will let you know what I find. I think my first cruise will be in Sept or October so I can save enough money to get the best:o. P.S. I do like the idea of a casino on board...Thank You again

 

 

You make a great point: It IS part of the adventure to enjoy BEING AT SEA....I say that in a my original post..there is A CONNECTION to the sea you feel in a balcony cabin that you cannot experience in an inside cabin....I remember doing a ship tour in the late 90's and they were showing the different cabins.. we had just seen a nice standard balcony cabin..we all stood outside and marvelled at the view in Fort Lauderdale of the sun, sky & sea and imagined how beautiful it would be at sea.. right across that cabin ( like many ships have) were the inside cabins..one women after being on the balcony outside, peeked into the inside cabin ( which was dark , small & unappealing) and said, "ugh, my G-d, horrible, horrible! Who would want to stay in here?"...we were on a tour and there were about 15 of us, and one person said, "the poor, the cheap, the crazy, or all three!"...at that time we all chuckled, but I thought, you know, they're probably right...

 

As far as casinos go, the largest casino afloat is on the Royal Caribbean's Oasis & Allure of The Seas, followed by the Freedom ( Port Canaveral), Liberty ( does 4-5 night cruises out of Fort Lauderdale) and the Independence of The Seas ( 6 & 8 nights Fort Lauderdale)...The Celebrity ships ( mostly Fort Laud & Miami) I mentioned earlier ( Solstice class includes Solstice, Eclipse, Reflection, Silhouette, & Equinox) are both beautiful & classy...if you like the idea of fine dining and want a slightly more elegant, mature crowd, Celebrity is a great choice..Royal, IMO, has the most exciting ships with lots to do and lots of bars & dining options, BUT tends to have more families & kids ( if you go in Sept/ Oct., it won't be a problem, though)...Princess has 2 new ships, the Royal & the Regal ( coming out in June ) from Ft. Laud., is a combination of a little more mature crowd, less kids, but very nice ships....they have a WONDERFULLY YUMMY lobster dinner on your balcony program, where the waiter brings the entire lobster dinner out onto your balcony complete with candles- of course, it costs $$- about $50-75 , but I hear its terrific..also, regarding eating on your balcony, room service is FREE ( or "included") in your cruise fare..just give the waiter a tip in CASH..I usually tip $5 for them to bring the entire breakfast ( don't miss having breakfast on YOUR balcony on a day at sea- one of the ADVENTURES an in inside cabin person would miss!!)..some companies charge a small fee for room service after midnight, but almost all ships now have some where you can go for a quick bite late at night...another FYI to consider..there are different size balcony cabins, and they are considerable I.E., Oasis/ Allure balconies are 53 sf ( square feet).. Freedom class balconies are slightly bigger at 65-66 SF..Celebrity Solstice class ships are 54 SF...Princess ships balconies are also around 40 SF...some of the brand new ships like the new Princess ships, although they are beautiful, have much smaller balconies at 32-35 SF..I suppose for one person, it's alright...finally if you want to splurge on your first cruise, you may want to consider a "Junior or Mini-suite"...these cabins are often 50% bigger than the standard cabins and offer things like walk-in closets ( very nice I must admit!), a living room area w/ sofa, larger bathrooms w/ tub ( regular cabins have only showers), and also important: a larger balcony, sometimes 40-50% bigger. Of course, they often cost 30- 50% more, but if you look on this thread, you will find many posts state that they get only Junior suites and up...just a thought if you want to splurge...

 

I know this is a lot of information to digest, but I wanted to give you both options & info on the cruise lines/ ships/ cabins, etc...as I said, any questions, let me know, this is my career...

 

Big Al

[Oppalopa]

We had inside rooms on our first 2 cruises. Been in balcony cabins or JS cabins on the last 4 and also on our upcoming cruise. I am hooked!

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I wonder if people spend more on the ship that have a inside room . Like on the Spa gambling, drinking etc? In other words they do not save much if any? I had booked a Ocean view because I travel alone and knew I would feel safer with a window. I know that is all in my head but it is how I feel. While on the ship I was upgraded to a suite. Loved it. :)

[6701wall]

Our first two cruises with inside cabins were with Commodore Cruise lines in 89/90 and 90/91 aboard the fun ship the Caribe and that they were. On those ships you were never in your room because of everything that was going on board you never wanted to miss anything it was truly the fun ship. If ships offered what those cruises did on board you wouldn't need balconies lol. The memories of those two cruises were the best we ever had even though the ship backed into a concrete dock in St Thomas after doing damage to the props in the DR. We were towed out so as not to sink in port and we chose to stay on island as it would take two weeks to fix and cruise back to Miami. I love the balconies and we would never book a cruise without one, we are doing the 30 day Hawaii and Tahiti on Feb 14 and the 78 Grand Asia and far east one in September and as grand as these cruises and all the others we have taken are we will never have as much fun as we had in those inside cabins on the Caribe. Sometimes it is the ship and not the cabins.

[kerryincork]

I also think destination is an important factor when deciding to get a Balcony or not. I chose a balcony room when we sailed the Norwegian Fjords as the reason we went there was for the views & the best view for us was from the Balcony. But when we sailed the Medeterranean we chose an inside cabin because we were in port everyday & I felt we wouldn't get much use from a Balcony as we would be in port each day. But in Feb 2014 we are going on the Epic and beacuse we will be at sea for 3/4 days I wanted to ensure we could sit outside without being crowded. Also my travelling companion doesn't know I have booked a balcony :D so it will be a surprise!

 

Another point is I really love RCC's promenade view internal cabins. I like sitting in the window seat and people watching below. I think i would chose this cabin always if i had that option.

 

PS how do I get those cruise ship count downs on my post? I've forgotten how it's done.

[big al]

Our first two cruises with inside cabins were with Commodore Cruise lines in 89/90 and 90/91 aboard the fun ship the Caribe and that they were. On those ships you were never in your room because of everything that was going on board you never wanted to miss anything it was truly the fun ship. If ships offered what those cruises did on board you wouldn't need balconies lol. The memories of those two cruises were the best we ever had even though the ship backed into a concrete dock in St Thomas after doing damage to the props in the DR. We were towed out so as not to sink in port and we chose to stay on island as it would take two weeks to fix and cruise back to Miami. I love the balconies and we would never book a cruise without one, we are doing the 30 day Hawaii and Tahiti on Feb 14 and the 78 Grand Asia and far east one in September and as grand as these cruises and all the others we have taken are we will never have as much fun as we had in those inside cabins on the Caribe. Sometimes it is the ship and not the cabins.

 

Good points...also important is in the 1989-91 era of cruising, there were almost NO balcony cabins..balconies began to appear in '95-96...I had been on about 15 transatlantic cruises as a child ( all were mostly cabins with a porthole..), but my first "cruise" was in 1990 on the Carnival Fantasy, then a new ship. Also I have a tinge of claustrophobia, and I felt a certain sadness in those inside cabins of early days..I didn't feel happy when I opened the door to my cabin..I can remember sitting out on the balcony of the Grand Princess when we toured this amazing new, and that time , the largest ( 109,000 tons) ship in the world...when my wife & I sat in the chairs and gazed out at the beautiful sight of Port Everglades on this magnificent clear sunny day, I just went,"WOW, this is definitely cooler than those inside/ window cabins we've been in"..it was January, so we booked it for our 5th wedding anniversary for May, 2000, and since then the rest of our 25+ cruises have been balconies or Jr/ Mini Suites...sometimes on many cruise ships from 3-5:30 PM, there's not much going on apart from the pool area, or if you're still on an excursion in port..this is when we love chillin' on our balcony or taking some Z's with the balcony door open and hearing the waves & wonders of the sea...AAAAHHHHHH....

 

Big Al

[big al]

I also think destination is an important factor when deciding to get a Balcony or not. I chose a balcony room when we sailed the Norwegian Fjords as the reason we went there was for the views & the best view for us was from the Balcony. But when we sailed the Medeterranean we chose an inside cabin because we were in port everyday & I felt we wouldn't get much use from a Balcony as we would be in port each day. But in Feb 2014 we are going on the Epic and beacuse we will be at sea for 3/4 days I wanted to ensure we could sit outside without being crowded. Also my travelling companion doesn't know I have booked a balcony :D so it will be a surprise!

 

Another point is I really love RCC's promenade view internal cabins. I like sitting in the window seat and people watching below. I think i would chose this cabin always if i had that option.

 

PS how do I get those cruise ship count downs on my post? I've forgotten how it's done.

 

Another good point about destination being important..we were on a 5 night Med cruise on the RCI Navigator Of The Seas in '08, and we had 4 INTENSE and long port days, then 1 day crossing the Mediterranean back to Barcelona..I will say that last day was AMAZING on the Med Sea- it was sooooo blue..I didn't use the balcony much those first 4 days, but that last day, I'll never forget...another point is today on some ships & sailings I have found inside cabins or window cabins MORE $$ than balconies...this is because nowadays, they build 80% of the cabins balconies, so inside/ window cabins ARE AT A PREMIUM...anybody who would pay more $$ for an inside cabin over a balcony should seek IMMEDIATE attention from a Neurologist - I suggest an MRI ASAP, LOL...

 

BTW, sorry I can't remember either about the countdown clocks..if you do a search here on CC, you will probably find it..you also can contact Jennifer @ Cruise Critic..she's the gal that answers any questions if you go to the "contact us" section...

 

Big Al