Upgrade offer to cove balcony. Opinions?

[Crusin Karen]

I have 3 cruises booked on Venezia.  I handpicked all my cabins-OV L shaped.  I've booked these before and love them.  I got an offer for upgrade to cove balcony for $142 more.  This is an 11 day cruise.  I looked at deck plans and I'm under a "white space" between atrium bar and Marco Polo restaurant.  I'm kind of thinking why not try it.  I hate to give up my favorite cabins, but I have them on 2 other cruises.  Can anyone give me any advice?  BTW I am a solo cruiser.  TIA! 

[Crusin Karen]

ETA  I just did a ghost booking and a cove would be about $330 more than what I'm paying for my OV.  So the $142 is really only 1/2 less, BUT that 1/2 will pay for a night of drinks! 😆

 

[maxandmolly]

I say do it. When are you likely to get this offer again?

[Susan in Maine]

We LOVE the Cove Balconies! Take it!!

[1kaper]

People love the cove balcony. 
I did not care for it. I don’t get the hype. It was closed in and dark. I didn’t like being on the lower deck. 
we were under a noisy part but surprisingly it didn’t bother me. I used to wonder what they were doing to make that noise but never stopped me from sleeping. Or woke me up. 

[csm5986142]

We love cove balconies too!  We could hear the sound of the waves (even with the balcony door closed, and it helped drown our loud laughter/talking in the hallway that usually wakes me in the middle of the night.  I'd book again for that reason alone.  We also loved being on such a low deck when getting on/off at the ports (we are usually on 7 or higher).  We saw dolphins multiple times.  We had some pretty good storms but stayed dry and out of the wind on our balcony. With it being shaded, we used it so much more than a balcony where we'd get hot and have to go inside. 

I'd take that offer in a heartbeat!

[mz-s]

I'll be one of the dissenting voices and say keep your money and stick with the cabins you handpicked.

[momof3cruisers]

For 11 days your own outdoor space would be really nice. That’s only about a $10 a day upgrade. As long as you aren’t under the galley, it should be quiet. IMO it’s a good way to find out if you like the coves. Not to much invested and as you say, your other cruises are in the cabins you know you like so you can go right back to them if a cove doesn’t fit your style. 

[ninjacat123]

I loved having the cove balcony on Breeze (flying fish, close to water) but I would probably never book a cove again because of the darkness and the metal frame around the deck.  I like sitting in a chair gazing at the water as opposed to standing up to see the water.  Just my 2 cents...

[May1cruiser]

really liked our cove. It was deck 2 on magic. Close to the water. Amazing sunsets as they appeared as though we were on the water and level. Easy access to ports and easy access to two decks above for most events. We did like the privacy and additional shade cove provided. Yes, would do again. 

[Crusin Karen]

7 minutes ago, mz-s said:

22 minutes ago, momof3cruisers said:

For 11 days your own outdoor space would be really nice. That’s only about a $10 a day upgrade. As long as you aren’t under the galley, it should be quiet. IMO it’s a good way to find out if you like the coves. Not to much invested and as you say, your other cruises are in the cabins you know you like so you can go right back to them if a cove doesn’t fit your style. 

This is exactly what I was thinking.  If I didn't have the other 2 cruises in "my cabin" booked I wouldn't even consider the offer.  We always had "regular balconies" on deck 8 but now as a solo cruiser I picked OV on deck 1 or 2 and I LOVE being near the water!  

 

[Jamman54]

Do it Karry! 😀

[Crusin Karen]

5 minutes ago, Jamman54 said:

Do it Karry! 😀

Shake things up a bit, throw caution to the wind, live dangerously!!!  LOL🥳😄

[jsglow]

Looooooooooove coves.  Was blessed to have #1 Starboard side. Only one neighbor.

[Rulers Mom]

My last Cove experience was in the Family Harbor area.  It is just my husband and I cruising but we LOVED the Family Harbor. There's a mini-Lido buffet, families in their robes and slippers in the morning.  Can grab a quick bite any time - loved it.  

 

We have booked other Cove balconies before the pandemic -loved them too.  You'll have a great time no matter where you are on board. 

 

[Crusin Karen]

5 minutes ago, Rulers Mom said:

My last Cove experience was in the Family Harbor area.  It is just my husband and I cruising but we LOVED the Family Harbor. There's a mini-Lido buffet, families in their robes and slippers in the morning.  Can grab a quick bite any time - loved it.  

 

We have booked other Cove balconies before the pandemic -loved them too.  You'll have a great time no matter where you are on board. 

 

Absolutely! 👍

[mcgore83]

Loved my cove balcony. So quiet and private.  I say go for it!

[mexicobob]

If you like being close to the water, you will love a Cove balcony. I did.

[notscb]

17 hours ago, Crusin Karen said:

11 day cruise

$142 for 11 days to have your own outdoor space to relax on and get fresh air?

I'd do it- hands down.

 

Once you get your room, if you decide you don't like the location, you can always call and see if they'd be willing to move you to a different cove balcony as well.

[LaRue1975]

That is an excellent location for a cove, ours was in that area, very quiet and it’s nice to be so close to the atrium. Also, there is a gap in the lifeboats and a good chance you will not have them above you so you can see the moon and stars at night. I say go for it! 

[evandbob]

Since the choice is inside to cove, it may be doable if that "white space" isn't a noisy piano bar or other venue.

 

I'm not partial to coves, I prefer mid ship mid deck full balconies.  When I walk past an open cove balcony door being cleaned, I'm not impressed with the view vs a higher open balcony.

 

Most importantly, anyone prone to motion sickness should avoid coves because the cruising speed and movement is more pronounced on those balconies.

[CarnivalShips480]

I had one and loved it! I say go ahead and do it, keep us updated!

[Crusin Karen]

1 hour ago, evandbob said:

Since the choice is inside to cove, it may be doable if that "white space" isn't a noisy piano bar or other venue.

 

I'm not partial to coves, I prefer mid ship mid deck full balconies.  When I walk past an open cove balcony door being cleaned, I'm not impressed with the view vs a higher open balcony.

 

Most importantly, anyone prone to motion sickness should avoid coves because the cruising speed and movement is more pronounced on those balconies.

Thx for thoughts.  I had an OV booked.  I don't do insides lol.  We used to always book balconies on deck 8-spirit class ships we always booked aft wraps.  But now that I'm cruising solo, the OV is fine for me.  Our very first cruise we had to leave a day early from Bermuda to sail around a hurricane back to NY.  Through the years we've cruised in bad weather.  Never took anything, never wore anything and never had a problem knock wood, but thanks for the warning!

[Haljo1935]

Have had several different types of balcony cabins from deep wraps to shallow standing-room-only, but never a cove balcony because I thought they would be dark and seem like I was in a box looking out.

But I have been in an Oceanview on a very low deck and loved being so close to the water. So, that has caused me to really consider a cove balcony.

Rather than just saying you like or don't like them, can you share specifics of what you like and don't like? Very hard to make a decision on such a subjective thing. 

All comments are welcome and thanks!

Oh, and no, we don't do crazy things that would cause us to want to "fall" off and will not have children to worry about.

Edited June 3, 2023 by Haljo1935

[sammee]

Go for it. I prefer the standard type balconies, but the cove wasn't bad on MG.  We just picked the wrong side and it was noisy from one of the night clubs.