1 week balcony OR 2 weeks inside cabin

[robbyxoxo]

...i always wonder....i see ppl discussing here their balcony cabins and that theyve paid maybe $700 or $800 pp....and at the same time im seeing inside cabins on cheap sailings going for half that price......I guess id totally understand, if money wasnt a factor at all....but i have to think that some of the ppl booking balconies arent exactly rollin in the dough.....so what makes a person, whos not rollin in dough, spend twice as much on their cabin?...and end up prolly spending twice as much on their S&S bill as someone trying to be thrifty.........so thats what im askin....would not most ppl choose sailing TWO cruises being thrifty, as opposed to ONE sailing being spendy?.....i would think so....but seems as if alotaaaa ppl think otherwise........now if ur a richy or if u just cant make time for two cruises per year, then ur off the hook....otherwise id love to hear some reasoning peace xoxo

[marshabear]

one explanation is that some (like myself and hubby) can't take 2 weeks off work....

 

another is that some (like myself) are claustrophobic in inside cabins....

 

and some simply enjoy having that private space to themselves on a balcony!! there is nothing like being able to fall asleep to the sound of the ocean....and also stepping out on the balcony in the morning in your pj's and smelling that fresh ocean air!! aaahhhh

 

Marsha

 

Premier Oceanic 10/89

Carnival Destiny 9/97

Carnival Triumph 10/99

RCCL Majesty-Seas 3/02

Carnival Legend 10/02

CCL Fascination 1/03

Dawn Princess 12/03

Carnival Legend 10/04

[crisp1]

I've never had a balcony til our upcoming ( great price), never had an oceanview til our last ( no insides available)... so I can say from experience that it never affected our cruises. My 'druthers'... the penthouse, but each cruise is different/ costs ( airfare/ hotel and cabin costs)... I say, 2 weeks are better than one

 

Up Next... A Date with Destiny 04/11/04

 

To Sea, or not, to See.

Starward 81, Volendam 83, Oceanic 87, Majestic 93, Victory 2/10/02, Imagination 5/23/02, 1/30/03, Conquest 12/28/03

 

Conquest New Years Cruise

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[kujobie]

Interesting. You should have set this thread up as a poll. I would choose 2 weeks with an inside, but I've never had a balcony. They say, once you've had a balcony, you never go back. I'm really not in the room much, so it's not an issue for me, however I am a smoker, and if I had a balcony, I would probably spend more time there as well.

 

Jubilee..May 2002

Sensation...May 2003

Glory...April 2004

[scottp]

I always want the balcony. Once I had one, I was hooked. Forget the price. As for two weeks. A couple of years ago we took a 12 day cruise from FLL to the Southern Caribbean. For me, it was just too long. After about 9-10 days, I was ready to get off. Its just a personal choice. I would rather have 3-4 mini-vacations than one long one. A couple of times we have had a hotel room paid for 7 days and left after 5 or 6 days, losing the $$. Now 7 days on the ship isn't too long, and I guess if I had my preferences, I would like a 8-9 day cruise!!

 

But always take the balcony. So much to see and do on it!!!!

 

 Until the FUN begins!!!!

 

[brn2crz]

I wish I could find a Balcony for 700...

 

Cathy

NCL-Starward 1982

NCL-Seaward 1986

NCL-Norway 1992

Carnival-Celebration 1996

Carnival-Jubilee 2001

RCI-Rhapsody 1999

RCI-Rhapsody- 2003

Grand Princess or Rhapsody ?

2004

 

 

[kajsb]

I've only been on two cruises and both had balconies. Now, I will only take a cruise with a balcony. I like to spend a lot of time in the sun and do not really like crowds. And then I have a disability and walking back and forth to the pool is harder for me. With the balcony, I have almost everything I need right at my fingertips. Our upcoming cruise, we have an aft, wraparound balcony. After this cruise, I'm probably going to be even more insistent on the type of balcony I have. But, it will mean that I cruise less often.

 

Kathy

 

Until our 05/30/04 Carnival Pride cruise and the wraparound balcony

 

 

06/28/04 Ecstasy- Mom's 80th birthday surprise!!

 

 

 

[jemingway]

I am a bottom feeder(as I was referred to on the Princess board) in that I would rather take 2 low end cruises than one high end one. I want more time on the ships and I'm not too picky.

 

JV

[hilltopfamily]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by jemingway:

I am a bottom feeder(as I was referred to on the Princess board) in that I would rather take 2 low end cruises than one high end one. I want more time on the ships and I'm not too picky. JV<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

 

LOL! JV~~I hadn't thought of myself in quite that way, but I guess "if the shoe fits...".

 

Good question, Robby. So far we've only booked deep in the belly, inside rooms for our cruises (we have to get 2 rooms for the 5 of us). Got lucky and Carnival had a 2-category upgrade w/our last cruise so we got 4C for 4A $$ & were on the Upper deck!! If I had my choice, I'd definately go twice as often in rooms without a balcony, but preferably at 2 different times, not back to back. I like to spread my joy out over the course of the year & always have something to look forward to!

 

Penny

Disney Magic Eastern 7/2003

Spring Break 5 days onboard Celebration! Mar 22 '04

Aug 1 '04 Carnival Elation--Our 3rd Cruise!!!

[INCHARGE]

I like knowing that when my cruise is over, I will only have 3 months until my next cruise, and I could not do it with a balcony each time. Have done the balcony, and no biggie to me. When my sweetie is with me, it is very romantic. However, if his schedule does not allow him to travel with me,I cruise alone, and there is no need for the balcony. This is my 2nd solo cruise, and an inside is perfectly fine. actually, the inside has 2 porthole windows, so I will know if it is day or night. Other than that, I am never in my cabin except to sleep. I do as many activities as I possibly can.

 

Blessings 2 U

Miracle Sept 5,2004 7 day

Destiny June 13,2004 7 day

Disney Magic Sept 6,2003 7 day

Spirit Nov.2002 Panama 8 day

Paradise Oct 2002 10 day

Paradise Feb.2000 7 day

[CruisingChad]

I used to be one of those that say the room your in doesnt matter, you never are in there blah blah blah. THEN I got a balcony....I will NEVER go back. The cruise im going on this coming Sunday, I won on an auctions and its an Inside cabin, I dread it. I will miss my balcony. Oh well it was cheap and it will be fun.

 

4-11 Conquest

 

Mardi Gras - 6/93

Carnivale - 5-95

Celebration - 6-01

Triumph - 11/03

Conquest - 4-/04

Spirit - 9/04

[izzyvet]

Ya, paying twice as much kinda blows when you think about it, but I LOVE the balcony. Did a balcony for our 3rd and 4th cruise and will never book anything else. If I can't afford it, I'll just have to save a little longer. Takes me a while longer to find those good deals too. Oh well, I'm hooked. We don't have ocean where we are and hearing it and being able to stand out there in your robe or pajamas and just watch it is fascinating!

 

Izzy

 

 

Until Carnival Pride:

 

Roll Call Explorer 5-23

Roll Call Pride 10/17

[ak-tired]

We never even considered an inside room... same reasons as a few of the above posters. I am somewhat claustrophobic, and I have a fairly low tolerance level for crowds and noise. A cruise is a "something for everyone" compromise for my family - I'd choose a remote lake cabin or a retreat center, while DH and the boys would choose Vegas or an amusement park.

 

I REALLY appreciated being able to retreat to my balcony for some sun and quiet, plus we really enjoyed room service breakfast out there, as well as arriving and leaving port from that vantage point.

 

My boys had an inside room across the hall, and I would not have been able to deal with that.

 

So for me, the question is whether it's worth to spend half again as much ($800 vs $1200) for my balcony, and really enjoy my vacation, or spend less and be pretty unhappy with it. Spending more was worth it for me.

 

Jeri in AK

First time

March 21, 2004 Carnival Pride

[Cruisin'Susan]

This is my first balcony. We splurged mainly because it was 649.00 Cant beat that. Now the price has went up.Last time we had oceanview which was great. But if I can get a balcony for same as OV welll.... im going for it. We are cruising again in Oct. We are not rich. But when you own ur own biz. YOU NEED VACATION!!!lol

 

MS.Victory 05-02-04

MS.Imagination 9-20-03

 

[AllenF]

Hmmm 1st cruise was inside room 2nd cruise was balcony...3 rd cruise will be an aft balcony. Price is always a consideration...but since i quit drinking many yrs ago (10)...seems as if i save a little bit more during the year and dont spend that much on the ship(for booze)...1 of the things i have really learned from is Chris's web site and started cutting back on is needless expense's that we have thru the course of the year....my wife loves to read on the balcony and we enjoy are semi private area the balcony provides....I did all my wild partying and drinking in my youngers years and I am still a young 40....relaxing on cruises is a major goal for me and the balcony provides more of that for me and my wife...and seeing what some spend on booze alone on 1 cruise you could afford a 2nd cruise on that expense all in itself....I love being around people but when i want some quiet quality time on the cruise and still view the ocean or islands the Balcony is the best place for me to achieve that and well worth the added cost cause unlike the rest of a great deal of you i am not taking out a 2nd mortgage to stay drunk for 7 to 10 days

 

11/02/03 Carnival Inspiration

03/20/04 Carnival Glory

12/13/04 Carnival Legend

[StefanieMS]

My first cruise I booked an inside cabin but I started to worry that I would not like it so I upgraded to an OV (price dropped so I didn't have to pay ). I really wanted a balcony, so this cruise, that's what I booked (aft no less). The price difference isn't that much between a balcony and OV on the newer ships.

I guess I see it as part of the cost of vacation. If I wasn't going on a cruise, I would be at a resort hotel some place vs a days inn (I just shop around and find the best value for the $). The price differnce is worth it to me.

 

Stefanie

 

Cruise on the pride

[katydyd]

I would have to say that if I COULD take two weeks off in a row (can't since I own my own business)...I would definitely opt for two weeks in an inside. However, since I'm not in a position to do that yet, I choose to completely pamper myself in my ONE week. Spa time...balcony...fun excursions....the whole nine yards....

 

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[halos]

Great question!

Like Hilltop & jemingway, we always start at the bottom. If money were not an issue, believe me, this wouldn't be the case...but, with circumstances what they are, I'd much rather have 2 weeks of an inside cabin to one week in a balcony...although this is easy for me to say because as of yet, I have not experienced a balcony.

The two weeks would have to be at seperate times for me. I'm not sure I'd like a back to back...although, I would try it just to see.

This next cruise, we started out with 1A rooms on the Miracle (I could get away with 1A's because the Miracle doesn't have bunks on 1A's)

Believe me when I tell you that when Carnival was running their specials I jumped at the chance to get us upgraded without paying more $$$, rather than take the credit and keep the 1A's. We now have 5A's and I am content with that.

BUT...if I could get a balcony for what I paid for that 5A...I'd jump on that in a second!

I look daily to seeif there is any price fluctuations...just in case.

 

I believe in Miracles

MIRACLE JUNE 19, 2004

Calm Seas, Good Friends

[jemingway]

I tend to take the cheaper cabins on shorter cruises, such as the Imagination this weekend. I do have a balcony booked for the Caribbean Princess in July. If I were going to Alaska, I would definitely want a balcony. After a hot July afternoon by the pool or in St. Thomas, I don't mind retreating to a cold dark inside room for a nap. I certainly understand everyone's balcony preferences, but any cruise ship cabin beats my office, so I won't be complaining.

 

JV

[cusyl]

I would definitely take the 2 weeks inside cabin..that's an extra week of no cooking or cleaning.

 

A bad day at sea is better than a good day at work

26 cruises since 1964 -Proud member of O.A.T.C.

 

Queen Mary 2 Maiden Caribbean Voyage 1/31/2004

HAL Zuiderdam 3/27/2004

 

Carnival Miracle from Tampa 11/7/04

[Knights on the Beach]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR> They say, once you've had a balcony, you never go back. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>Yeah, they do say that a lot don't they? I've had one balcony -- got a great deal for our Thanksgiving cruise 2001. Booked an inside with an immediate upgrade to an outside. Prices dropped after 9/11/01 because lots of people cancelled. We didn't, and got upgraded to a balcony. If I ever get a deal like that again, we'll get the balcony. Otherwise, I'd take two weeks in an inside. I've NEVER been unhappy in an inside (we almost always book guarantees and end up in a good location). We've been in insides on our two cruises since the balcony and will be in one again next month, so I guess you can say we went back!

 

Beth

~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Countdown to Glory

 

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