What's Your Financial Breakpoint In a Balcony?

[graphicguy]

OP...probably the better question is what is your budget?  We already know your intended itinerary.  But, we don't know how much you're willing to spend?  That will determine your cabin type.

[MagnoliaBlossom]

Like others have said, I book an inside and use WorldPoints from the. NCL credit card to upgrade for free.

[Daruma]

34 minutes ago, graphicguy said:

OP...probably the better question is what is your budget?  We already know your intended itinerary.  But, we don't know how much you're willing to spend?  That will determine your cabin type.

 

It's well within my budget... I'm contemplating "worth it," for which I'm getting some good feedback. 

 

It comes down to +$650/$1k for balcony vs what else could I use that money on 🤷

[RocketMan275]

1 hour ago, MagnoliaBlossom said:

Like others have said, I book an inside and use WorldPoints from the. NCL credit card to upgrade for free.

Since you can redeem those points for cash, that upgrade actuall costs the cash value of the points.

[graphicguy]

2 hours ago, MagnoliaBlossom said:

Like others have said, I book an inside and use WorldPoints from the. NCL credit card to upgrade for free.

Now...that's a good idea!

[graphicguy]

1 hour ago, Daruma said:

 

It's well within my budget... I'm contemplating "worth it," for which I'm getting some good feedback. 

 

It comes down to +$650/$1k for balcony vs what else could I use that money on 🤷

Yeah...that's a question only you can answer.

 

Personally, I'll chintz out on a lot of things......underwear, Birthday Cards, umbrellas....vacations are hard for me to do that, though.

 

If I worry about how much I'm spending, and I already budgeted for the cruise, last thing I want to do while on vacation is worry about if I can save a buck by not waking up to the view of the crystal clear waters of the Caribbean, or sit out on my balcony at night and drink a night cap.  That's an integral part of my cruise.

[MohrPfun]

Fascinating thread, and everyone’s choices are right for them.

 

I started with a “free” balcony sailing via CAS for our Alaska cruise on the Jewel next month, club balcony was available at time of booking for only $60 more/per person, so booked that.  $120 addtl to base fare.

 

Then I started researching more and realized that 1) we’re not cruisers and this is probably a one and done and 2) the aft facing suite category came with so many more perks (priority boarding/B&Ls in Moderno & Cagneys/glacier viewing invites on Haven sundeck/butler & concierge service/daily treats and elevated service/etc etc) that it seemed like a no-brainer to me for my double nickels bday to pull the trigger for $3k total.

 

So for $214/pp/per day, will it be worth it?  I dunno, but I also don’t care, because it’s my bday and I wanted it. 😉 

[MagnoliaBlossom]

34 minutes ago, RocketMan275 said:

Since you can redeem those points for cash, that upgrade actuall costs the cash value of the points.

Yes, but the 600 dollars I could get for 600 points upgrades the cabin for both of us.  I could not get an IN to BA for $300 per person.

[Daruma]

So, interesting timing. 

 

I was booked on this cruise for the week prior, and in an interior Solo Studio. 

 

My NCL account guy called me today and said that if I could go one week later, same ship, same itinerary, (the one pictured below), that I could get a Solo BALCONY for only $200 more!! 

 

Uh... YES PLEASE!! 😂

 

Edited May 14 by Daruma

[UKstages]

it's not a terribly good idea to publish an image of your reservation on a public forum without removing PII, such as your reservation number and cabin number. i recommend editing that or deleting the post and reposting just the text description.

[Daruma]

4 minutes ago, UKstages said:

it's not a terribly good idea to publish an image of your reservation on a public forum without removing PII, such as your reservation number and cabin number. i recommend editing that or deleting the post and reposting just the text description.

 

Thank you very much. 

 

Photo edited. 

[schmoopie17]

3 hours ago, chill6x6 said:

watching a few masked/brown boobies soar by....

I prefer boobies that are unmasked. But maybe that just me...

[ChiefMateJRK]

7 hours ago, Capitan Obvious said:

Given that it is highly unlikely that any two people here will have identical income, not to mention identical expenses, I don't see how we can answer "What's Your Financial Breakpoint In a Balcony?" type questions.

My income and expenses are totally irrelevant to my choice of cabin.  So yes, I was able to actually answer the OPs question.  That places me clearly in a very small minority.

 

I don't live by the equation: "Income - expenses = money to throw away on things I don't need"

 

That said, it sounds like you and many others might.😎

[Daruma]

2 minutes ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

My income and expenses are totally irrelevant to my choice of cabin.  So yes, I was able to actually answer the OPs question.  That places me clearly in a very small minority.

 

I don't live by the equation: "Income - expenses = money to throw away on things I don't need"

 

That said, it sounds like you and many others might.😎

 

You get me. 

 

As I've mentioned above, I can afford this... but would I rather spend my money elsewhere? I'm not sure to be honest. 

 

I'm no Bill Gates or Jeff Bezos... but I can pay my rent... and now that last week my son graduated from college... I can eat meat too 😂🤣

[ChiefMateJRK]

3 minutes ago, Daruma said:

As I've mentioned above, I can afford this... but would I rather spend my money elsewhere?

Yep.  Thanks.  I would add "but would I rather just NOT spend that money and invest it for my family's future wellbeing or other good causes?"

[Maleficent's Dad]

There are two requirements that my wife has - Vibe (on the ships that have it), and Balcony.  No balcony, no cruise. (Obviously I don’t make the rules!)

[ChiefMateJRK]

8 hours ago, Sailing12Away said:

My dear friend loves his inside cabins because of the value they offer in terms of pricing, but I'm pretty confident that if the prices were the same he would gladly move himself and travel companions into the balcony.

Sounds like an interesting fellow.  I think I may know him!🤣🐀

[Daruma]

1 minute ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

 "but would I rather just NOT spend that money and invest it for my family's future wellbeing or other good causes?"

 

Just now, ChiefMateJRK said:

🤣🐀

<sigh> Isn't birth to 22 AND 4 years of college enough? 😂

[MohrPfun]

1 minute ago, Maleficent&#x27;s Dad said:

There are two requirements that my wife has - Vibe (on the ships that have it), and Balcony.  No balcony, no cruise. (Obviously I don’t make the rules!)

I like her rules.  This is also why I threw in FAS+ and Thermal Spa for the week into my cart.  I like top shelf and I like to relax (no Vibe on the Jewel), so if you’re (aka me) going to do it, do it right if you can afford it and more importantly, if it has value to your specific cruising experience. 

[Capitan Obvious]

16 minutes ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

My income and expenses are totally irrelevant to my choice of cabin.  So yes, I was able to actually answer the OPs question.  That places me clearly in a very small minority.

 

I don't live by the equation: "Income - expenses = money to throw away on things I don't need"

 

That said, it sounds like you and many others might.😎

 

Play word games however you want, but if you're not using some sort of equation, how are you determining the balcony breakpoint that the OP was requesting? And, how is YOUR breakpoint (which, be definition, is financial) relevant to the OP?

 

11 minutes ago, Daruma said:

 

You get me. 

 

As I've mentioned above, I can afford this... but would I rather spend my money elsewhere? I'm not sure to be honest. 

 

I'm no Bill Gates or Jeff Bezos... but I can pay my rent... and now that last week my son graduated from college... I can eat meat too 😂🤣

 

OK...you can afford this. Cool. And maybe you would rahter spend your money elsewhere or not...whatever YOU choose.

 

But how is the breakpoint for me or any other poster here relevant to your situation? How does my go/no-go on a balcony affect your situation?

 

I've never understood the need that some people display as far as just following the crowd instead of simply doing what makes them happy.

[Daruma]

5 minutes ago, MohrPfun said:

I like her rules.  This is also why I threw in FAS+ and Thermal Spa for the week into my cart.  I like top shelf and I like to relax (no Vibe on the Jewel), so if you’re (aka me) going to do it, do it right if you can afford it and more importantly, if it has value to your specific cruising experience. 

 

Fortunately, (or not depending on your point of view), I don't drink alcohol, so I don't need to upgrade my drInk package 😁

 

I've already booked the Vibe and Thermal Spa on my 11/25 Encore cruise... they're not yet available on my 4/26 Aqua cruise... but as soon as they are... WHAMMO!! 

 

So, as I just posted above I just got a great deal to upgrade to a solo balcony on my 11/25 cruise by pushing it back a week, and the Solo Balcony is only $200 more than I was paying for an interior Solo Studio for the prior week. 

 

Now, thus far I'm paying $2200 for an interior Solo Studio on the Aqua for 4/26... and currently a Solo Balcony is $1600 more; $3800... that's a 72%'ish increase 😳 NUH UH 🤣

[Daruma]

7 minutes ago, Capitan Obvious said:

 

Play word games however you want, but if you're not using some sort of equation, how are you determining the balcony breakpoint that the OP was requesting? And, how is YOUR breakpoint (which, be definition, is financial) relevant to the OP?

 

 

OK...you can afford this. Cool. And maybe you would rahter spend your money elsewhere or not...whatever YOU choose.

 

But how is the breakpoint for me or any other poster here relevant to your situation? How does my go/no-go on a balcony affect your situation?

 

I've never understood the need that some people display as far as just following the crowd instead of simply doing what makes them happy.

 

Two reasons... people tend to proffer info in these discussions that I may not have thought of. 

 

Two... it's also just a "conversation" piece. 

 

You are under no obligation to reply. 

[Daruma]

9 minutes ago, Capitan Obvious said:

 

Play word games however you want, but if you're not using some sort of equation, how are you determining the balcony breakpoint that the OP was requesting? And, how is YOUR breakpoint (which, be definition, is financial) relevant to the OP?

 

 

OK...you can afford this. Cool. And maybe you would rahter spend your money elsewhere or not...whatever YOU choose.

 

But how is the breakpoint for me or any other poster here relevant to your situation? How does my go/no-go on a balcony affect your situation?

 

I've never understood the need that some people display as far as just following the crowd instead of simply doing what makes them happy.

 

Also, I'm unsure of what would make me happy... discussions like this can help me to decide. 

[ChiefMateJRK]

10 minutes ago, Capitan Obvious said:

Play word games however you want, but if you're not using some sort of equation, how are you determining the balcony breakpoint that the OP was requesting?

Well, I was really just answering the OP's question from the perspective of somebody who doesn't base the decision upon resources available (i.e. the opposite of your position).  My perspective of diminishing returns is that once I have to pay more than $25 per day for a balcony, it really isn't worth it to me.  I enjoy the larger cabin, couch and balcony as much as the next person.  However, if I spend more than $25 per day on it that added enjoyment is offset by the negative feelings that I am wasting money on something I really don't need.  That's just me and it doesn't have to be anybody else.  The only time I recall a balcony actually adding discreet enjoyment to my cruise was when we were able to get an aft balcony with lounge chairs on a NE cruise.  The other times, it was like "'eh, this is nice, but I can easily live without it."  I'm a simple cruiser and get all of my lasting enjoyment from just being on the ship and watching the world go by.😎

[Daruma]

3 minutes ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

... and watching the world go by.😎

 

Uh... technically that'd be easier to do on a balcony... just sayin' 🤣