Are aft balaconys hot?

[Pine Bluff]

We are booking another cruise and hubby is considering an Aft Balcony. My question is how hot does it get out there and is there shade? Sometimes the crowds and noise are to much for me and I need a quite retreat, so I do use the balcony quite a bit. I would love to have more room for a lounger rather than a upright chair, but I don't sweat. Yes, you read it correctly, I don't sweat at all. I just turn bright red and overheat. So I'm concerned we may book it and I wont be able to use it because it will be to hot. Don't know if it makes any difference, but will likely be a late November, Western itinerary. I can usually handle 80ish degrees, more if there is a breeze. But much over 80 in direct sun with no breeze and I'm ready to throw up and pass out in about 30 min. Thanks for your reply.

 

Depends on the class of ship and the deck level. But we were never hot in any location; just bright due to the lack of an overhang. And wet when it rained.

 

Not a big aft lover, unless we have a wrap. We just dio our homework before booking them, and ever since that first mistake, we have been happy with our choices.

[Mysticks1]

OP you may be able to use an Aft Facing on the Dream class ships. Those on the Vista Deck(9) are completely covered by the overhang. If you are ever booked on one of them you might want to research those cabins. On each side the ones next to the aft wraps are a good bit bigger than the ones in the middle.

[Tutontow]

I hate to hear this! We have an Aft balcony on our 1st cruise in May. I can't stand being hot and really thought it would be nice. Ugh!

 

 

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Don't sweat it (no pun intended). It is your first cruise, you will be just fine. Being your first cruise, or any cruise for that matter, you won't be spending much time in your cabin. If you find it is just too doggone hot enjoy your balcony when you get up and when the sun is going down. Like I said before, don't sweat it. You won't be spending much time in your cabin, and most of all enjoy your cruise. I have found cruising is just like anything in life, it is what you make of it.

[NCTribeFan]

I had 4230 on Miracle. I had originally booked an aft on a higher deck but way back then (cruise was Dec 2009 but I booked very early), there was a thread specifically about the aft balcony cabins on Spirit-class ships.

 

I moved down to 4230 because of all the comments in that thread about how hot it was on the higher decks because of the lack of overhang.

 

Even with the additional overhang on that deck, it was still blazing hot at times. What I did find very useful was the day we had rough weather. I was able to put my chair sideways, right up along the window, and sit out there and have the fresh air, yet stay out of the rain.

 

Sitting out there as we sailed away from Colon, Panama, as the sun was going down, looking at all the ships waiting to transit the canal was something I'll never forget.

[Thebosn1]

We are booking another cruise and hubby is considering an Aft Balcony. My question is how hot does it get out there and is there shade? Sometimes the crowds and noise are to much for me and I need a quite retreat, so I do use the balcony quite a bit. I would love to have more room for a lounger rather than a upright chair, but I don't sweat. Yes, you read it correctly, I don't sweat at all. I just turn bright red and overheat. So I'm concerned we may book it and I wont be able to use it because it will be to hot. Don't know if it makes any difference, but will likely be a late November, Western itinerary. I can usually handle 80ish degrees, more if there is a breeze. But much over 80 in direct sun with no breeze and I'm ready to throw up and pass out in about 30 min. Thanks for your reply.

 

Good question. We had an extended aft balcony on the Valor and we loved it. In regards to your question, yes I remember it was pretty hot when the sun was hitting it directly, especially the deck. If the ship was not moving, like in Miami before we departed, it was too hot even for me. BUT most of the time when the ship was moving there was some form of breeze. Days when i was getting a little sun out there, if it got too hot i would hop in the shower for a few seconds and go back out while still wet. Also we were on her in August (during Katrina) so it may not be as bad for you! I would take it!

[tncap]

We had an aft balcony on the Spirit and I won't do it again due to it being very hot and no breeze, but many people love them.

[CRUZBUDS]

I guess a lot depends on the itinerary, season, time of day and the direction the ship is going. We've had aft balconies on the Spirit and were very happy with them.

 

Sometimes these tropical paradises are just plain hot ;)

 

[Midwestgal]

Your never going to know unless you see for yourself. We have one in May for the first time.... Time will tell.

[phxbbw6ft1]

This thread has me all over the place. We are booked on Splendor aft balcony on empress deck (7) leaving on march 25th. This is my 4th cruise,but first balcony. This is the first time i've read that afts are hot and no breeze. I'm torn. On one hand- no breeze may be helpful. I have alopecia ( hair loss) and I have to use a hair thickener spray which is why I booked a balcony this time. So I can spray it outside of our cabin.- But then read that neighbors can see us?? Not feeling to comfortable about that.

And also hearing they are hot. I live in Arizona it's already 84 here now, don't need hot, lol. I hoping to enjoy cooler weather leaving NY and coming back....

 

I guess i'll just have to experience for myself. I don't want to change rooms. And I can have a good time anywhere- cruises especially:)

[The_ZOO]

we are going to be on the Sunshine in Feb 2015 and have an aft extended balcony, I don't think the sun will bother me but not having a breeze might. Oh well I suppose you live and you learn, I just had to see what the fuss was all about at least once. I hope we love it.

[broyles60]

We had an aft last July on the Pride and while the view was wonderful, the balcony was not very big.....deeper yet not as wide. Barely fit two chairs and a table.

 

It was very hot, no shade, no breeze. I sweat a lot but get overheated very easily and I could not go outside on the balcony during the day.

 

Not worth the extra $$$$$$ in my opinion.

[LRene]

We've had several and are not really fans unless it's an aft wrap on a Spirit class ship. I think an aft in Alaska or New England/Canada is nice and we had one in Europe once that was OK but they're miserable in the Caribbean. For all the reasons previously stated. With the exception of the first time we booked one, every other time we've had one it's been due to an upgrade after final payment. Now, we're booked in one on a Celebrity ship (and didn't start out in that cabin!) but those balconies are much larger and have a canopy awning over a lot of it. I'll still miss the breeze.

Edited March 14, 2014 by LRene

[Dreacrusingaway]

I decided to keep the Aft. If we downgrade to a regular balcony there is a change fee and the cost right now for that cabin is exactly the same as the aft. I guess the price went up. So we would be paying $200 to downgrade cabins.

 

If we upgrade to an ocean suite it will be $540 more :eek: and I am not willing to pay that right now. Actually the corner one on our deck is available but the way it's set up, the balcony is on the back and it does not wrap around so no breeze their either.

 

So I will hope that nature provides the breeze and plan on using it more at night. It is supposed to be a new moon during our trip and I am looking forward to seeing the stars out in the ocean without the light pollution of the city.

 

Thanks for the info, I can at least adjust my expectations.

[jsfromsc]

The short answer is "yes." We have had an aft wrap balcony a couple of times, and that was good because the part that wrapped around the side was covered so we could get some shade there. The others are not covered at all and it does get hot there.

[jsfromsc]

I decided to keep the Aft. If we downgrade to a regular balcony there is a change fee and the cost right now for that cabin is exactly the same as the aft. I guess the price went up. So we would be paying $200 to downgrade cabins.

 

If we upgrade to an ocean suite it will be $540 more :eek: and I am not willing to pay that right now. Actually the corner one on our deck is available but the way it's set up, the balcony is on the back and it does not wrap around so no breeze their either.

 

So I will hope that nature provides the breeze and plan on using it more at night. It is supposed to be a new moon during our trip and I am looking forward to seeing the stars out in the ocean without the light pollution of the city.

 

Thanks for the info, I can at least adjust my expectations.

 

Don't get me wrong. I still love the aft balcony. Seeing the ship's wake is beautiful, especially in the moonlight. But since you'll be having a new moon, I hope you get a good view of the stars. You may get breeze even if you're not in a wrap balcony. Maybe bring an umbrella you can attach to your chair to give you a bit of shade. I used to do that when my kids were little to give them some protection from the sun.

[Julia1969]

I am probably one of the few that don't like the serenity deck for the same reason as you all don't like the aft cabin. . .not breeze and too darn HOT! Everyone kept tell us to book an Aft balcony on or next cruise and I just kept thinking about how hot and miserable I was on the serenity deck (the Two ships I have been on that have had it, it was located aft of the ship. IDK if it is in a different location on different ships). We ended up booking an Ocean Suite instead.

 

But, that being said, I don't think any cabin is a bad cabin if you are on a cruise! Enjoy your trip!

[13cheermom]

I read that you were interested in having a lounger on a balcony. I would suggest trying one of the L-shaped cabins near the aft but still on the side of ship. They have a balcony twice the length of a regular balcony and therefore have room for the lounger. However not sure about how many you have in your cabin, most only sleep 2. But seems like it might work better for you.:) Good Luck and hope you enjoy your cruise regardless.:D

[Everyday's a Good Day]

We are about to go on our 6th cruise in May and it will be our 5th aft balcony. We love them! It can be a little warm in the heat of the day but the mornings and evenings are great!

[jamesr3939]

Yes, we had an aft wrap on the Spirit to Mexico a few years ago and the balcony had no shade (not a real issue), but the cabin was very got and didn't get cool. There was no overhang so the windows got sun all day. Even with the shades drawn and AC turned to the max the cabin never got cold and once you got moving around and the hair dryer came on it got hot. I would do an aft wrap again in a heart beat, but I would make sure there was some overhang or it was an Alaska cruise.