What do you do on your balcony ?

[Adayatatime]

What do you love about your balcony in your cabin? When do you most appreciate it?

 

Or have you had a balcony in the past and "downgraded" in price to spend the extra on other things?

[dln929]

That's a very leading question! I bet you're going to get a lot of interesting answers. :p

 

I'll answer the 'safe' question--no, we've never downgraded ourselves but we have downgraded the kids. They prefer balcony of course but if it comes down to cruise or no cruise, they're happy enough to forgo the balcony.

[Klstaack]

I just love sitting out on the balcony. Hearing the ocean and being able to have natural light in the cabin.

 

I'm sure I don't spend as much time out there as other do....but I love it and I don't think I could go back to an inside cabin.

[JCO4O1]

A glass of wine on the balcony while the wife gets ready for dinner. :D We only downgraded once. We paid around $1,000 (total) for our Bermuda cruise, no airfare, and the price for a balcony would have been around $2,500. We were going to be in Bermuda most of the time anyway, and the price difference was just way too steep to justify.

[Gopher1934]

We go Outside and Inside like both

If some years we can go on more cruises because of cost

we will do the inside. and always enjoy those just as much. When we

go inside we pick a location that has easy outside access. The inside dark rooms do not bother us at all. our next 4 cruises 3 are with balcony 1 is inside

last year all 3 were inside.

[Clarea]

Love smoking cigars on the balcony.

 

That's a joke. Just my Redcard contribution for today.

Edited August 5, 2014 by clarea

[John&LaLa]

Love smoking cigars on the balcony.

 

That's a joke. Just my Redcard contribution for today.

 

Don't you mean "loved". :o

 

Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Forums mobile app

[peteukmcr]

Champagne on the balcony at sailaway. Watching the stars at night. Relaxing in the afternoon with a coffee after a port visit waiting for cast off. Reading in the shade or just listening to the sound of the sea. Watching arrival into port in the morning. Enjoying room service breakfast on the balcony.

 

We make good use of a balcony. :D

[life_dizzy]

I've only been on one cruise so far. We splurged for a balcony since we got married on that cruise.

 

We just booked an anniversary cruise for this year, and originally downgraded to just an ocean view window cabin. But we knew we would hate not having the balcony, so we upgraded to an ocean view balcony. We are going on the Allure, so technically we could have paid less for a Central Park or Boardwalk balcony, but part of the reason we love the ocean view balcony so much is to get away from everyone but still have that peaceful view of the ocean.

 

I guess we spoiled ourselves, so now I don't know if we'll ever be able to move any further down from an ocean view balcony! Maybe if we lived closer to a port and could go all the time, we wouldn't spend all that extra cash for the view every single time...but since we are driving about 16 hours to get there, we figure we might as well get what we want!

[WrittenOnYourHeart]

While I did enjoy my balcony on the HAL cruise I just returned from (it was nice to go out and chill and look for whales, etc.), I'll be booking an ocean view on the same running cruise on RCI net summer. I'm too afraid I'd get claustrophobic in the inside cabins, and the price difference between inside and ocean view is only $475. Between ocean view and balcony it's a difference of $1674 (staying single occupancy by choice - while most roommate situations end up working out, I'd rather pay more and socialize outside of the cabin than risk being the one that doesn't work out). So I will take the natural light from the window when I'm in the cabin and hang out outside as much as possible. :)

[Paulette3028]

What do you love about your balcony in your cabin? When do you most appreciate it?

 

Or have you had a balcony in the past and "downgraded" in price to spend the extra on other things?

 

It is nice to sit on the balcony before heading to dinner, or if you get up early to see the sun rise. Only when we cruise on Majesty do we take an OV without a balcony, because only the Junior Suites on Majesty have balconies. To us for 3 days, the cost just isn't justified.

 

We probably will NEVER take an inside cabin, since we at least to like the window to look out through.

[alfaeric]

Breakfast outside is really nice.

 

And the two times we splurged on a grand suite, we had dinner out there (long days at port, so we were still there for dinner).

 

we also dry a lot of clothing out htere... :o:p

[life_dizzy]

Breakfast outside is really nice.

 

And the two times we splurged on a grand suite, we had dinner out there (long days at port, so we were still there for dinner).

 

we also dry a lot of clothing out htere... :o:p

 

Agree that breakfast is nice out there! Never really thought to do dinner out there. And we definitely dried a lot of swim suits & clothing out there!

 

We also used binoculars to sit and see some islands and boats that were around as we went along the route. Of course, you can do that on any deck, but the privacy for us was the best part.

[sleepless]

I always enjoy my balcony. I have never cruised without out one. First place I visit in the morning, and last place I visit at night. I have even been known to wake up in the middle of the night, sneak out onto the balcony for a few moments, then hop back into bed. I keep my curtains open at night :eek:, and wake up several times a night to a beautiful ocean view. Also, can get some great early morning pictures of a sun rise if sailing in the right direction, while still wearing my pj's. Enjoy breakfast and lunch on the balcony on sea days. Enjoy watching the ship arrive or a a port. Having a balcony view of the ocean helps ease the pain of packing for the trip home .

[CruisinW8]

We had two littles who still needed the occasional nap or earlier bedtime, so we spent a lot of time on the balcony just enjoying the peace & quiet, read, kept them happy & quiet with breakfast/snacks while others were getting ready, etc.

 

We did have four older girls also sailing with us & they were happy with an interior since they spent most of their time in the kids or teen clubs. If they wanted to hang on a balcony, they just came across the hall :).

 

We have downgraded for our upcoming cruise since it's a go cheap or don't go deal, but I'm still holding out hope for an awesome price drop so I can upgrade!

 

 

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[robint]

Lots of natural light, sound, and air. My daughter went out on our balcony when she was feeling the roll of the ship (really helped!) Watch going into or out of port. Check the weather before heading out on an excursion. Put on sunscreen. Watched the ship going through the Strait of Messina at midnight (no need to get dressed again to see it!)

[AlexanderBeetle]

Our first and only cruise thus far was with a balcony. Nothing better than lighting my pipe and enjoying the ocean. Absolutely loved it. All lines (as far as I can tell) have since done away with that privilege and our current reservations are for ocean views.

 

Would love a balcony again but the OV allows us to cruise more. May try an interior at some point for a family cruise but I have a feeling we'll be doing balcony's when it's just my wife and me :)

[BillOh]

What do you love about your balcony in your cabin? When do you most appreciate it?

 

I most love a balcony in the morning coming into a new port or a particularly nice port. (St Thomas comes to mind). There is a lot to see for an hour before even getting into port. I also love the balcony when my wife is finishing getting ready for dinner on formal night. There was a sea day on the way to Labadee that we were close enough to Cuba to see some very pretty barrier islands with binoculars.

[blonde375]

7:30am coffee while DH still sleeps

mid afternoon relax with cocktail

or before dinner drink while getting ready

nightcap while stargazing

drapes always open

 

It would be very hard to downgrade, I admit. Especially since the last balcony was a JS Aft on Grandeur. But, I agree that if it meant going or not going on the cruise, I would take an oceanview cabin. I don't think I could go back to an interior though for sure!

[gelli8112]

I sit on the balcony and watch the waves and enjoy the breeze while the ship is sailing and while I'm waiting for my DW to get dressed. She uses it to read.

[Sail2k]

Hmmm,

Guess it depends on the boat and the cruise....

 

When the kids were little, we used to like to escape to the balcony so we could chill and talk without waking the kids.....

 

When we are on Oasis or Allure, we always get the Boardwalk view staterooms because we love to watch the shows or leave the doors open when we are getting ready so that we can hear the music or show below....

 

When we cruise alone we like to *insert imagination here* on the balcony.... k only kidding, we have never had a balcony when we have sailed alone, because when it is just the 2 of us we typically are literally only in our room to sleep, shower, and change....lol

 

but there is no greater feeling than being on a cruise, looking out into nothing but ocean as the sun is rising or setting....so quiet, so easy to get lost in thought

 

Is it Sunday yet??? Linkin Park Saturday night then Freedom Sunday!!!!!

[m*u*g*]

Whale watching. Never seen any though.

 

Need to go to Alaska I guess.

[DonnaK]

Honestly, we spend very little time out on the balcony. Too hot and humid. It's nice for coffee in the morning, or sailing into or away from a port. We still prefer them because of the expanded view from inside the cabin, and the natural light. (Although on some cruises, we've had to keep the curtains closed at all times to keep the room cool).

 

We have downgraded to insides from time to time in order to save money and squeeze in a "bonus" cruise.

[ASeaPrincess1]

Morning coffee watching the sunrise.....

Breakfast or pastries with mimosas.......

Afternoon naps...........

Entertaining friends.......

Glass of wine at night..........

So many things. I love the fresh air and ocean breezes.

 

My last cruise was during the "Super Moon"

I went out on my balcony and saw the reddest moon ever! It was awesome.

Then there was the reddest sunrise ever coming back into New Orleans. I would have missed all that without a balcony.

 

I've done Insides and Ocean Views......but, no.....I can't go without a balcony again. Even if it means cruising less. And I'll figure out a way to NOT let that happen! :D;)

[Ourusualbeach]

Nothing better than a mid afternoon nap in the hammock that bring with me. So far we have only had aft balconies but going to give it a shot this Christmas on the Freedom on a side facing balcony.