Alaska - Aft Facing Balcony or Starboard Side Balcony?

[cruise*enthusiast]

I'm thinking an aft would provide us with better viewing of both sides, but I also heard that being on the starboard side (as opposed to port side) offers better views of the whales, etc.  Thanks for your input!

[TheDawg79]

Alaska is made for aft balconies!! I did that on my first Alaskan cruise and no other balcony location has come close to being the same experience 

[cruise*enthusiast]

1 minute ago, TheDawg79 said:

Alaska is made for aft balconies!! I did that on my first Alaskan cruise and no other balcony location has come close to being the same experience 

Perfect!  TY!!

[quillwercruisers]

We are going to be doing a FWD balcony on our Alaska cruise. Can't wait! Enjoy your cruise.

[cruise*enthusiast]

6 minutes ago, TheDawg79 said:

Alaska is made for aft balconies!! I did that on my first Alaskan cruise and no other balcony location has come close to being the same experience 

Would you. recommend an aft on 9 or 15?  Is a higher balcony better than a lower one or vice versa?

[TheDawg79]

As long as there is NOT an open deck on 16, 15 would be a good place to be. It will swing more than 9 though. 9’s downside is that it might be a little more noisy from the engine. Probably minimal though. You honestly can’t go wrong either way. If you are even the slightest prone to motion sickness, stick with 9.

[cruise*enthusiast]

11 minutes ago, TheDawg79 said:

As long as there is NOT an open deck on 16, 15 would be a good place to be. It will swing more than 9 though. 9’s downside is that it might be a little more noisy from the engine. Probably minimal though. You honestly can’t go wrong either way. If you are even the slightest prone to motion sickness, stick with 9.

Good to know.  Thanks!

[SPacificbound]

Definitely aft facing balcony!  

[cruiser2015]

2 hours ago, quillwercruisers said:

We are going to be doing a FWD balcony on our Alaska cruise. Can't wait! Enjoy your cruise.

Hope you like chilly breezes.

And I truly hope you're not sailing during the shoulder periods.

[mexicobob]

6 hours ago, cruise*enthusiast said:

I'm thinking an aft would provide us with better viewing of both sides, but I also heard that being on the starboard side (as opposed to port side) offers better views of the whales, etc.  Thanks for your input!

Have done an aft-wrap as well as a side balcony in Alaska. Any balcony would be good. When cruising in the fjords I think a side balcony is better.   Which side is totally irrelevant. I like being closer to the water, and the whales and other sea creatures, so prefer a lower deck. 

When crusing into the glacier bays the top decks are the best for 360 degree views. Dress warm as can be cold around all that ice.

[bonvoyagie]

I have preferred aft cabins ever since our first cruise when I got an upgrade to an aft penthouse suite on an AK cruise. Since then I have only gone to side balconies twice.

[azappraiser]

After having an Aft Balcony on the POA... we're now spoiled for life!  Enjoying a cup of coffee, while watching the sun rise from the comfort of my lounger, was a welcomed daily treat.  We had the most incredible view, sailing away from the Na Pali Coast, with a pod of dolphins dancing in the ship's wake.

 

When we decided it was time to book another cruise, we agreed that a return to Alaska was in the cards; but instead of sailing at the end of the season, we opted for mid/late May and an itinerary that included Glacier Bay.

 

Our initial cruise with NCL was to Alaska, on the Pearl.  On that trip, we opted for a deck 10, mid-ship balcony, on the port side.  And while the view from our balcony was adequate, there's just no comparison to the view from the aft.

 

If you look at the deck plans on the Breakaway Plus ships, the largest aft balconies are on decks 9, 12 & 15, with one each on the port & starboard corners.  These suites, as well as the ones on decks 10,11, 13 & 14 with smaller balconies, also have access to the Haven complex... more $$$.