Help Please-POH Balcony VS Inside?

[cmeyersmi]

POH-Hawaii---Balcony VS Inside?

We have reserved an aft balcony for an early November POH sailing. Since reading some reviews of the cruise and itinerary, I am wondering if our money would be better spent on an inside cabin.

After checking sunset times it seems that we will not be cruising during the daylight, or even at sunset, except for the Napoli Coast. From prior cruisers reviews it sounds as if you get back on the ship too tired to do anything at night except eat and go to sleep, especially if coming from the eastern time zone.

There is a huge price difference ($1100.00) for the balcony vs. inside, and on any other cruise, I wouldn’t consider an inside, as we love an aft balcony, but it sounds as if for this cruise we may be too busy to even use it.

I would really appreciate some input from people who have cruised Hawaii on the POAm or POH as to the virtues of an inside cabin vs a balcony cabin. Is it worth the price for a balcony?

 

Thanks for your help!

[Poconolady]

IF it were me (and it was me, we just recently sailed on the PoAL in an inside cabin) I would save the money on the balcony cabin and put it toward enjoying yourself on the islands. Most days we left the ship at about 8Am and returned about 6 or 6:30, took showers and went to a lengthy dinner and then fell into bed from exhaustion. We would not have had any time to spend on the balcony, and I would have been mad that we had spent the extra for something that we did not use.

On the other hand, if you plan to spend time on the ship and not do extensive playing and sightseeing on the islands, then the balcony would be nice-but the views in most of the ports is not anything to write home about. Even in late May we sailed after dark, except for the day for the Napali coast, and there were plenty of ondeck spots to view that. By the way, the coast viewing lasts for several hours, so chances are you won't spend the entire time watching the scenery--you are too far away to see really well unless you bring binoculars.

[Dancyalien]

I got the balcony for my honeymoon. It is alot more money to do it....

 

I just wanted to mention it is really nice to be able to sit on your own balcony and watch the lava flowing into the ocean, the night you pass kiluea. My husband and I video taped the whole thing.

[cmeyersmi]

Thanks All, I appreciate the input!

 

Cathy

[chiorazziej]

I believe the balcony changes the whole vibe of the trip. I'd get up in the middle of the night and the warm air would be blowing and the moonlight on the water was breathtaking. I also witness three dolphins racing next to the ship in and out of the water. Having the door slightly open and going to sleep to the sound of the water is great too. A balcony allows you to experience those unexpected things. The Napoli Coast (ordered some Champagne) to enjoy it in private (providing you are on the right side.) and the lava flow .Believe me is a relief when you are around people constantly on the ship to have some quiet private time. Go for the extra.

[Mekamax]

As others said before the balcony does change the feel of the cruise. I have had one doing the Panama Canal (a must!) and one just doing the Western Carribbean because I could get a most wanted aft balcony and I had done the Western so many times we knew we would be on the ship a lot. LOVED the balcony expecially the aft one BUT in Hawaii we had an outside cabin which I would deffinately take over the inside. Some views are nice. But a balcony I'm not sure of since we were off the boat by 8am touring in a rental car and back by 5pm everyday to change and go to dinner and fall asleep and start over the next day. We stood at the rail with others to watch the lava flow and it was fine and kind of neat to share with others. We did not get to do the famous coast - on a different cruise line. Whatever you decide - Hawaii is a wonderful cruise! Have fun! :D

[bleuseas]

Thanks for posting this question and the answers.

 

I have been debating downgrading my balcony on the POAm to a window or inside because I've been pouting about being on the starboard side and it seems as if all the "action" is on the port side which was not available.

 

Thanks for reminding me about just how nice it is to escape to the privacy of your own balcony and take in the sea air and hopefully some wildlife. Not to mention you have a little more space to escape to when there are four to a cabin as we will be.

[sandyneck]

We just did downgrade from a balcony to an inside and saved $1200.00. I was adamant about having a balcony for the Hawaii cruise until I started reading reviews. From the sounds of most, we will not be on the ship much,

except to eat and sleep. A few nights you are at port and depending on which side you are on, may not be able to leave your door open because of the noise from the port area. The service has also been spotty at best. I figured I would feel better if I had to clean my own room if I knew I had saved a bunch of money:) We also are traveling with four and I wasn't too keen on the idea of climbing over the pull out sofa and ducking under the pullman bed to get to my balcony while the kids were sleeping. Although, the set up in the inside cabin is even more ridiculous with three people across on a wall to wall bed, I won't be doing anything but sleeping there. I did have some regrets after downgrading, but I will be able to pay for most of our shore excursions with the money saved, and it seems like that is what this cruise will be all about. It is a definite tight squeeze, but one other poster said their family just treated it like a camping trip and they were fine! Whatever you choose, you will be in Hawaii having a great time. If you really want the balcony go for it, if you don't mind the inside, or if you are looking for a way to save some money for other more important things, go with the inside. Have fun either way!

[beachchick]

It truly depends on your personal preferences. It's certainly a fair chunk of change and many have reported that the NCLA cruises are so intensely port oriented (and so tiring) that they didn't spend all that much time on the balcony. OTOH, my DH and wouldn't consider cruising without a balcony. That means we don't cruise as often, but it's that important to us. Especially for Hawaii, there's not a chance that we would forego having a balcony. We travel to Hawaii as often as possible (which isn't nearly often enough). We've only done one cruise around Hawaii, and that wasn't a complete cruise (it was several years ago before NCLA). It was actually only our second cruise, so we booked an inside cabin figuring we wouldn't care--NEVER again will we do that. I should mention that we both have disabilities that mean we spend more time in our cabin than many of the super active, only-there-to-shower-or-sleep folks. Still, we'd want a balcony no matter what.

 

It's such an intensely personal decision. I know what we would do, but you should weigh the pros and cons, and then decide based on what will make you enjoy the cruise more. (OTOH, how can you not enjoy it? It's Hawaii!)

 

beachchick

[Mekamax]

When I was in Honolulu we went to Wikiki beach at night and I walked at the edge of the water and had my toes in.... Looked up at the moon and thought - I can't belive I'm in Hawaii!!!! :) :) You will have fun no matter which way you go - in Hawaii it really is the destination itslef for us. Have a great time! Debbie