Trouble deciding on a room!

[moesyk4]

We have our 10 year anniversary cruise picked out for November 2015 on the Allure of the Seas, first time on that ship!

Originally, we booked a boardwalk balcony, as far aft as we could, on deck 11 so we could see the Aquatheater from our balcony. I also liked that you could see some ocean as well. With the recent sale, our room is down about $350 from what we already booked at.

I recently realized that one of my club memberships offers travel perks and one is $70 OBC for cruises booked through them. I went through them to find a similar room, but that entire floor of boardwalk balconies now appears to be booked (checked RCCL and a couple other websites and nothing is coming up). Instead, I found a Central Park view balcony for an additional $150 off plus the $70 OBC. I figure we can always do the 'secret" balcony to watch the shows, so that wasn't a dealbreaker, but I'm worried that not seeing the ocean is going to make me feel like I'm at a nice hotel instead of on a ship.

We also looked into just doing an oceanview balcony, but it would add an additional $150-200 per person to our cost...we did a cove balcony with Carnival on our last cruise and honestly, it spoiled me. The privacy, the closeness to the ocean, the sound of the waves, it was perfect. I am worried for the additional cost, a "regular" balcony is going to seem not worth it now!

 

Anybody have any insight that I'm missing? We currently have a reservation on both the boardwalk balcony and the central park one.

[GTO-Girl]

We have our 10 year anniversary cruise picked out for November 2015 on the Allure of the Seas, first time on that ship!

Originally, we booked a boardwalk balcony, as far aft as we could, on deck 11 so we could see the Aquatheater from our balcony. I also liked that you could see some ocean as well. With the recent sale, our room is down about $350 from what we already booked at.

I recently realized that one of my club memberships offers travel perks and one is $70 OBC for cruises booked through them. I went through them to find a similar room, but that entire floor of boardwalk balconies now appears to be booked (checked RCCL and a couple other websites and nothing is coming up). Instead, I found a Central Park view balcony for an additional $150 off plus the $70 OBC. I figure we can always do the 'secret" balcony to watch the shows, so that wasn't a dealbreaker, but I'm worried that not seeing the ocean is going to make me feel like I'm at a nice hotel instead of on a ship.

We also looked into just doing an oceanview balcony, but it would add an additional $150-200 per person to our cost...we did a cove balcony with Carnival on our last cruise and honestly, it spoiled me. The privacy, the closeness to the ocean, the sound of the waves, it was perfect. I am worried for the additional cost, a "regular" balcony is going to seem not worth it now!

 

Anybody have any insight that I'm missing? We currently have a reservation on both the boardwalk balcony and the central park one.

 

IMO.....I would stick with the Boardwalk balcony if for nothing else, getting to see some ocean. The CP balconies would not appeal to me because the view would not give you any feeling of being on a cruise.

 

We were on the Allure in November.....LOVED that ship.....WOW!!!!

[micmacmissy]

$300 to $400 is worth the ocean balcony, in my opinion. Much more privacy, and how often to do you get to be near the ocean? I say spend the extra $ and go oceanview balcony!

[Cruisegirl6]

I don't care for boardwalk balconies for a few reasons:

1- its noisy day and into the night

2- you can't see the ocean much

3- its close to the rock climbing wall and the zip lining passes diagonally to the staterooms

4- everybody opposite you can look right at you on the balcony and into your room

5- less air flow I would think its more warmer out in these balconies

 

My daughter on our cruise this sunday has central park and opposite her are our cabins three cabins total facing the ocean, we enjoy looking out onto the water, feeling the breeze and having our privacy not having people look at us as we out on the balcony and into our room. We want the feel of the sea.

 

So you need to decide which is more important to you, to each their own. ;)

[racerxspeedy]

Earlier today I found the Nov 15 2015 sailing of Allure and Oct 31 2015 sailing of Oasis boardwalk - balconies at $674. The ocean views room were only $180 more total (D5/6). If you are flexible in your dates you will get what you want!! Eastern itinerary.

[SPacificbound]

Not seeing the ocean would be a deal breaker for me. :)

[brightestofblues]

I would definitely go for either the Boardwalk balcony or a standard balcony stateroom if you prefer ocean views. Definitely not the Central Park room. But beware that the Boardwalk is a bit noisy at times, and there's not much privacy either. I don't really like the Central Park "balconies" or the Boardwalk "balconies". I use this term loosely because for that kind of money, I prefer my balcony to have a view of the ocean and not someone else's balcony across from mine. It makes morning breakfast on the balcony very awkward! Just my two cents.

 

Do whatever feels right for you and your travel needs, giving yourself the best vacation possible. Whatever is going to make you happy. You never want to sail with the "I should've booked..." mind frame. Happy cruising!

[Shelfish42]

Definitely for me, nothing compares to a balcony overlooking the ocean. Boardwalk gets noisy and Central Park doesn't come close to hearing and seeing the ocean.

[EbayCruiser]

I would go with an ocean view. We thought about a boardwalk but the noise and lack of privacy was a BIG concern.

 

Better book quick and lock in that rate .... prices are on the rise!!

[Clarea]

Oceanview. Hard enough to see "outside" on Allure.

[moesyk4]

Thanks everyone! I went back and looked at our cruise and noticed that just for our sailing, they had randomly changed our private island stop to a Nassau stop, blech. That is a dealbreaker for us. By the time I switched to the next cheapest sailing that still hits the private island, it was only $200 more to go for the ocean view.

Hope they don't change that sailing too!

[cindivan]

I know you have already booked your room but wanted to give another opinion on boardwalk vs ocean. It sounds like we are in the minority but we really like the boardwalk balcony rooms because yew enjoy watching all the action.... The shows, practicing for the shows, people wandering around, etc. I am a light sleeper and outside of the night they do the midnight movie it hasn't been louder than many other cruise ship rooms between the sounds of the engine or ocean.

 

It's totally a personal preference thing, but when we travel on other ships we do the ocean balcony, so it's fun to do something a little different when we can.

 

 

 

 

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Edited May 12, 2014 by cindivan

[Jenjer]

Boardwalk is defiantly busier more people, activity and noise. A peak at the ocean is better than no view.

 

Central park is quiet and serine. It would be like staying in a Huge hotel, no ocean. They actually pipe in bird sounds.

 

Neither have a ton of privacy since you can see acrossed the ship to the balcony's on the other side.

 

Of the 2 I would pick the Boardwalk for sure. I go on a cruise for the ocean not the gardens.

 

If a Ocean view is in your budget that's the best. No matter what floor, how long a walk to the elevator, the Ocean always wins. If that's not in your budget don't stress about it. Better to book the cabin you know you can afford and you will enjoy it more.