Switch to guaranteed balcony for cruise this weekend!????

[mengel246]

We are are family of 4 (have a 3 and 5 year old) sailing on the Getaway this weekend. We're currently booked in an ocean view on the 5th floor but I called and can get a guaranteed balcony pretty cheap, however lose one of the meals in our meal plan. Is it worth it to switch from ocean view with 4 meals to guaranteed balcony and 3 meals? I also booked myself the spa pass for the week if that makes a difference.

 

This is the first time we have ever been on a cruise so I'm not sure of the best choice.

 

Thanks!

[blackwing]

I would do it. Especially since your kids are so young. While they are still sleeping in the morning, it would be great if you are able to sit out on the balcony, feeling the breeze, smelling the fresh air, eating your breakfast, drinking your coffee, and reading a book.

 

Once you have a balcony, you will never want to sail any other way.

[stacieps]

When my kids were that age, we always booked a balcony, so that we could sit outside to read, etc., while kids napped/rested. I'm not a big foodie, so losing a "specialty" meal wouldn't be a loss for me.

[Lady Arwen]

If you can afford the up-sell, then go for it! The extra space will be a blessing! You and your husband can have your own little relaxation area while the kids are sleeping. Also, the view from a balcony is far superior to that of an oceanview.

 

Beware, once you have a balcony it's very difficult to go back to an inside cabin.

 

Have a wonderful cruise!

[tggs726]

Have you tried calling the upsell department? If you do an upsell versus an upgrade you wont lose your amenities.

 

-Matt

[travelinmoma]

Have you tried calling the upsell department? If you do an upsell versus an upgrade you wont lose your amenities.

 

-Matt

 

I was just going to suggest this as well.

[mengel246]

I think I really screwed myself over. We're now at the complete back of the ship. I'm pretty sure the supervisor that I went back and forth with did this on purpose. Does that mean we will be seasick the entire time ?

[blackwing]

I think I really screwed myself over. We're now at the complete back of the ship. I'm pretty sure the supervisor that I went back and forth with did this on purpose. Does that mean we will be seasick the entire time ?

I'm assuming you mean a regular balcony in the aft end, and not one of the actual aft balconies that have an actual view of the aft. The true aft balconies are highly coveted, as they are slightly larger.

 

No worries on being in the aft.... that is our preferred cabin area. We like being just a few floors or a short elevator ride away from the Garden Cafe. I don't think the motion is any worse here than anywhere else.

[mengel246]

I'm assuming you mean a regular balcony in the aft end, and not one of the actual aft balconies that have an actual view of the aft. The true aft balconies are highly coveted, as they are slightly larger.

 

No worries on being in the aft.... that is our preferred cabin area. We like being just a few floors or a short elevator ride away from the Garden Cafe. I don't think the motion is any worse here than anywhere else.

 

The documents say "9914 - AFT DECK 9".. This is our first cruise and I'm not familiar with ship terms at all. Is the balcony view going to be of just the ship or will you be able to see the actual ocean?

 

Thank you for your encouraging words.

[tropical83]

I was a few cabins from being right at the back of the ship on my last cruise. We had a balcony room as well. I loved the location! I didn't have any issues with the motion. You will be fine. Enjoy your cruise!

Oh and you will definitely be able to see the ocean from your balcony :)

Edited April 6, 2016 by tropical83

[tggs726]

The documents say "9914 - AFT DECK 9".. This is our first cruise and I'm not familiar with ship terms at all. Is the balcony view going to be of just the ship or will you be able to see the actual ocean?

 

Thank you for your encouraging words.

 

I wouldn't be concerned about movement. My only concern with this location is the fact that you said you booked a spa pass. Nothing horrible, you will just have a long walk each time you want to go as the spa as it's in the front of the ship.

 

Assuming it didn't cost much more, i would still rather have this balcony over an ocean view.

 

Hope that helps!

 

 

-Matt

[Into Cruising]

Your room connects to one of the Suites on board, so how bad can the location be.. Deck 9 has passenger cabins above and below, which is a good thing.

 

There is less motion from the ocean in the AFT end than being forward...You did great!

[tggs726]

Deck 9 has passenger cabins above and below, which is a good thing.

 

 

Deck 8 is not cabins below, Moderno is below which shouldn't be an issue with noise but it isn't cabins.

[Into Cruising]

absolutely right, above Moderno, but that is a quiet restaurant, as evidenced by the suite next door to you.....

[mengel246]

I wouldn't be concerned about movement. My only concern with this location is the fact that you said you booked a spa pass. Nothing horrible, you will just have a long walk each time you want to go as the spa as it's in the front of the ship.

 

Assuming it didn't cost much more, i would still rather have this balcony over an ocean view.

 

Hope that helps!

 

 

-Matt

 

Hah this makes me wickedly excited! My forms of exercise on land are masters swims or yoga. I was stressing on what I was going to do for a week without either. This answers that :)

[mengel246]

Thank you all for easing so many of my nerves. Besides going to the shore for a week or two each summer (where we have lots of family around to help) this is the first time we've taken the kids away. It's their first time on a plane and all of ours on a cruise. I was the most hesitant about this but have secretly become the most excited because of these boards.

[stleda124]

Lets just say I paid an additional 200pp (family of 5) through celebrity for an aft location.

 

The view is amazingggggg! The aft is no where near as bad as fwd. My mom gets bad motion sickness and she is fine!

 

Congrats!

[sfaaa]

Pull the trigger and do it. You can get free meal with no add on grat 24/7 on the ship. Cheap balcony deal on the other hand only comes around once in awhile.

[Sand and Seas]

It's possible 9914 being next to the Aft PH has an extra wide (not deep) balcony from what we have seen in some other threads. I would love to try that one so let us know. We have always loved the balconies towards the back of the ship. Have a great cruise:D

[RuthlessBoss]

It's possible 9914 being next to the Aft PH has an extra wide (not deep) balcony from what we have seen in some other threads. I would love to try that one so let us know. We have always loved the balconies towards the back of the ship. Have a great cruise:D

 

My guarantee wound up on deck 12, last cabin port side. Balcony was way longer than others because of the slope of the back end of the ship.

[AdGuyMG]

There is less motion from the ocean in the AFT end than being forward...

 

If the ship is one solid piece of metal and the motion at the front of the ship is up and down, why would the aft have less up/down motion?

 

Is there like an accordion spring, expansion joint or shock absorber in the middle of the vessel that makes this so?

 

I didn't do so great in high school physics so a simple explanation would be appreciated.

[CP3o]

Yes, for motion I'd worry much more about being in a higher cabin and forward. You getting AFT and deck 9 might be about as good as you could do on a guarantee.

 

Before I noticed you'd taken the guarantee, I'd thought to worry about noise and wonder if your kids are good sleepers. They can put you in the cabins no one else wants and kids tend not to be able to wear earplugs as willingly as adults.

 

Some may say kids are young for a cruise but I think kids are great fun at that age to cruise with, see it thru their eyes and it's so exciting. And naptime is so nice! With young kids you may not want to sell them on "pool" time like you might another resort, might be just nuts up there. Some family minigolf and other activities might be easier to do on sea days. Oddly enough, finding an open space with a dancefloor worked great with my kids. They had some room to run around and "play" during the day when venue wasn't being used. Even family hide and go seek among the chairs in a lounge can be fun. Keep an open mind and have a great time!

 

ps I hope your kids like the kids club or you have grandparents joining, I love buying the spa pass on cruises but it's tough when have young kids that can't go.

 

pps Never know what young kids will like, some really enjoy shows for whatever reason, even if think they won't "get" them.

[mjkacmom]

Yes, for motion I'd worry much more about being in a higher cabin and forward. You getting AFT and deck 9 might be about as good as you could do on a guarantee.

 

Before I noticed you'd taken the guarantee, I'd thought to worry about noise and wonder if your kids are good sleepers. They can put you in the cabins no one else wants and kids tend not to be able to wear earplugs as willingly as adults.

 

Some may say kids are young for a cruise but I think kids are great fun at that age to cruise with, see it thru their eyes and it's so exciting. And naptime is so nice! With young kids you may not want to sell them on "pool" time like you might another resort, might be just nuts up there. Some family minigolf and other activities might be easier to do on sea days. Oddly enough, finding an open space with a dancefloor worked great with my kids. They had some room to run around and "play" during the day when venue wasn't being used. Even family hide and go seek among the chairs in a lounge can be fun. Keep an open mind and have a great time!

 

ps I hope your kids like the kids club or you have grandparents joining, I love buying the spa pass on cruises but it's tough when have young kids that can't go.

 

pps Never know what young kids will like, some really enjoy shows for whatever reason, even if think they won't "get" them.

 

The splash area on the getaway offers a lot more for kids this age than a lot of resorts on land, much more fun for 3 and 5 year olds than the boring small deep rectangle pool for the older kids. On the BA, my youngest were 10, and I remember thinking how cool the pool area was for little ones.

[Fido Chuckwagon]

If the ship is one solid piece of metal and the motion at the front of the ship is up and down, why would the aft have less up/down motion?

 

Is there like an accordion spring, expansion joint or shock absorber in the middle of the vessel that makes this so?

 

I didn't do so great in high school physics so a simple explanation would be appreciated.

 

Picture a seesaw. As you get closer to the middle of the seesaw you have less movement, as you get closer to the ends you have more movement. Now pretend for a moment that the seesaw isn't rotating around a point in the exact middle, but rather is rotating around a point that is slightly further back than center, you would then have more movement at the very front of the seesaw then the very back. That's how it could happen.

[Into Cruising]

Adman,

 

Try to picture a speed boat....the very front of the speedboat is bounced by the waves created as it pushes through the water. The rear end, pretty much stay in position with far less bouncing. Picture the speed boat actually being tipped over backwards, the rear of the boat may never leave the top of the water and in most circumstances will it ever reach the potential height of the front of the boat, unless it does cartwheels. A single flip over front to back is how I would explain it. As long as it does not go airborne, the back is less bumpy. And a cruise ship does not have speed enough to set it on it's tail.

 

To really understand you would have to take into account the waves, both the height and the depth as well as time between them. In most cases the front is already coming back down before the rear would rise.

 

Hope this helps.