balcony frustrations

[NJScrapper]

DH & I would like to go on a cruise next year. We don't care where we go really. We do know that we want a balcony room. Our last cruise I was able to get a balcony room but paying for an outside room (free category upgrade). I'm not having any luck this time around though. They're not in my budget. We would like to take RCI and would most likely have to fly to FL so with airfare it's a bit out of our price range. I wish I hadn't been spoiled last time with a balcony because I don't want to go to back to an outside or inside room.

[Cruzman]

You are pricing yourself out of your budget probably because you are focusing on just one cruise line. Royal Caribbean pricing has been considerably higher than the competition on most sailings of late. I suggest that you price some other cruise lines such as Princess, HAL or Carnival on the dates that you have in mind. Also, delve into any discounts that may aply to your sailing, e.g. past passenger, senior citizen, military, etc. Cruise lines sometimes offer discount resident rates (applies to only certain states). Also consider sailing during off season if you can. Rates are significantly less in fall and winter other than during holidays. Good luck!

[CateW]

Not sure when you want to go in 2007, but there are a number of options out of NYC and Bayonne that have very good prices (for balcony's) in January, February and March. They are 10 and 11 day trips so you do get 6 days in the Caribbean. Just a thought if this works into your timing.

[4merlurker]

I know exactly what you are going through! On our very first cruise last november we had a balcony. This time around I booked an outside porthole :eek: with the thinking: doesnt matter we are still on a cruise. Well, that didn't work for long. The second balcony prices dropped I switched our cabins and even saved a few bucks.

Moral of the story: If you book early enough chances are the price may go down and if it does you can change your booking.

Worked for us! We are cruising in a balcony in 11 days!!

Good Luck!

~Connie

[debmkay]

If you can and are able to do it check out some last minute deals, we did that this time booking only a few weeks out for the Nov 13th sailing on the Volendam and we got a balcony cabin at a great rate. Its true for us too, we took our first balcony a few years back and now we can't go back to oceanview!

[Seago2]

Try sailing out of NYC and saving on airfare. I have been pleasantly surprised by the balcony prices I paid last spring on NCL Spirit and just last week for a January sailing on HAL Noordam.

 

The newer ships on every line have a higher percentage of balconies than older ships and the cost reflects that.

 

I have tried to book RCCL in the past because they give a substantial childrens discount. Even with the discount they came up waaaay higher than Carnival and NCL (wasn't looking at HAL then).

 

There are many frequent cruisers on here that get the cheapest cabin they can under the theory that you are hardly ever in your room. If the cost of the balcony meant that I couldn't go where I wanted on one of the ships I wanted to go on I wouldn't bother with one.

[SANDY BEACH]

Check out the Jewel of the Seas and Radiance for their 6 night cruises. Balcony rooms seem pretty reasonable on certain dates. Maybe they would work. Real, real low rates on Costa now until the end of the year (never been on this line so can't give any input). Good luck. Hope you find your verandah. I love them too!!

[rlkubi]

NJ, I agree with the other posters -- try other lines. I just checked online and Carnival Triumph has a 7 day cruise to Cozumel, Grand Cayman and Jamaica for $699 for a balcony. If you are over 55 it is even lower than that. I would give other lines a chance. As you can tell I like Carnival. I haven't gone on RCI but my friends who go with us have and they said that Carnival is comparable. Good luck!