Balcony views

[Lessa11]

If you get a room with a balcony, can you view the wildlife from there or is it set back from the edge and you just see other parts of the ship?

[Assateague Island Princes]

We saw plenty from our balcony - you look straight down the side of the ship. Even on our last cruise, our cabin on deck 5 had lifeboats beneath us, but it didn't obstruct our view of the water in any way. If you want to see wildlife though, you've got to invest in a good pair of binoculars and spend hours and hours out there. Which is exactly what we did!! We were out there on sea days in particular from first light til the sun went down, which last year in June was around 10:30, and even then, it wasn't "dark" per se. My sister-in-law and I made a game out of spotting whale spouts, tails, humps, etc., and it was a blast. NEVER got boring, always something to see, not to mention the spectacular scenery. Just loved it! We had breakfast on our balcony every morning, and on Hubbard Glacier day, had lunch and dinner out there as well! There is just so much to see in Alaska, and we didn't want to miss a minute of it, so we were either up on deck or on our balcony every chance we got. You will LOVE it!

[Lessa11]

Thanks. I do have binoculars, so it sounds like a balcony room would be worth the extra $$$.

[eh2zed]

A balcony on an Alaskan cruise is certainly recommended.

[Putterdude]

A balcony for scenery in Alaska is certainly a good thing....but you really have to work at it to see wildlife on shore as the ship is some miles off the coast. In terms of whales...yes you may very well see some but generally such sightings are so far from the ship by the time you get binoculars on them all you are seeing is a splash. So if you are cruising on a budget you will do just as well on deck or in one of the fore or aft lounges than on a balcony where you only see one side.:)

[whale-watcher]

With a side balcony you will miss half the wildlife and scenery, which is why we always watch up front (preferable on an open deck). Aft balconies are great for view, but you often cannot look straight down into the water...but most wildlife will be a great distance away anyways.

 

The aft is inferior to the front for whale watching, but can be excellent for birding, if of interest to you (especially when you are far from land, as many seabirds like to follow ships to feed on marine organisms churned up in the wake)

[LoriPhil]

While the shore critters probably won't be something you spot easily, distant whale spouts are cool even if you don't see them up close and personal. Sometimes you can also spot dolphins zooming alongside the ship, which is really terrific. The balcony is great not only for the wildlife but also the beauty of the terrane - particularly if you are cruising the inside passage. We spent a great deal of time on our balcony and found it a good value. If it's a question of sailing or not sailing, take the oceanview or inside and enjoy the public spaces - Alaska is not to be missed.

[Wanderbug]

On my last 2 Alaska cruises, I saw whales and other wildlife from the public areas of the ship. On my first Alaska cruise, there was a naturalist who pointed out things on both sides of the ship. I was very glad that I was not on a balcony and limited to viewing only one side. On my 2nd cruise, the captain made announcements about whale activity. Again, I was glad that I wasn't limited to only being able to see what was visible from a balcony.

 

I used the money that I saved by booking an inside cabin and went on a fantastic whale watching tour where I saw the whales much closer than you will ever be able to see them from the ship.

 

Either way, you will love Alaska.

[poppyskim]

Which is better PORT or STARBard side? I am thinking starbard since those cabins book first?

[Wanderbug]

Which is better PORT or STARBard side? I am thinking starbard since those cabins book first?

 

 

I think it would depend on if you are going northbound or southbound.

[poppyskim]

haha..:D.......my head is spinning planning!! Looking at North bound. Trying to decide RCI or NCL

[Lessa11]

thanks all! Personally, I think I'd like to skip the balcony and get the cheap room, but my DH is less social than I am and may want to spend more time in the room, in which case it would be nice for him to have a balcony. So, I will discuss w/him and let you know our decision.

[whale-watcher]

it is nice to have a balcony, but even with a balcony we end up spending most of our time in areas where the view is more expansive. If you plan to spend a lot of time in the room, having a balcony is better than missing out on the view and wildlife completely; and even if you spend a lot of time on deck or in public viewing lounges, there are still times (early morning and late evening, or when dressing for dinner) when you will be in the cabin during potential prime viewing hours.

[Driftwoodgal]

I would base my cabin choice on my budget. A balcony cabin can have more room than an inside cabin. If you have unlimited funds then a balcony would be my choice and an aft one. You can have obstructed views from any place on the ship. Post a question on the main board on your cabin catagory that you are interested in. If it is freezing cold the front of the ship could be really chilly standing out for long periods of time. If cold doesn't bother you then the inside could be for you. Again, depending on the ship there are public places to view the ocean along with others.

 

Alaska has longer days so light could enter into your cabin choice too. If you love to sleep in the total dark the inside cabin might be for you. Look at square footage and at the shape of the outside balcony too. Yes, there are drapes that cut the light, but I hate even the little sliver.

 

We saw wildlife from lots of different places on the ship, one of those was my balcony, and another the treadmill in the gym. :D

[tetleytea]

We saw plenty of wildlife from our balcony, though not bears or a lot of whales. More like seals, otters, eagles, dolphins, dalls porpoise. What's nice for us was the aft deck was about 3 doors down from us. Searching for wildlife was really just an excuse to be out there, watching the scenery. Gave us something to do.

[plenox]

We saw plenty from our balcony - you look straight down the side of the ship. Even on our last cruise, our cabin on deck 5 had lifeboats beneath us, but it didn't obstruct our view of the water in any way. If you want to see wildlife though, you've got to invest in a good pair of binoculars and spend hours and hours out there. Which is exactly what we did!! We were out there on sea days in particular from first light til the sun went down, which last year in June was around 10:30, and even then, it wasn't "dark" per se. My sister-in-law and I made a game out of spotting whale spouts, tails, humps, etc., and it was a blast. NEVER got boring, always something to see, not to mention the spectacular scenery. Just loved it! We had breakfast on our balcony every morning, and on Hubbard Glacier day, had lunch and dinner out there as well! There is just so much to see in Alaska, and we didn't want to miss a minute of it, so we were either up on deck or on our balcony every chance we got. You will LOVE it!

 

 

excellent suggestion

[Lessa11]

Fickle me was going to go with an inside cabin and save the money for excursions, but then I saw a friend today who's going on a luxury all-suite cruise and they'll get a butler! Now think how much that must cost! So then I decided I would splurge just a little and get a balcony and really enjoy myself. Why sacrifice? It's vacation and I can afford it, I just tend to get too penny-pinching sometimes.

[EliseRN]

Our TA recommended balcony on (I think) port side mid ship because we are on southbound...which will actually be great. On the Coral Princess I see our balcony sticks out along with about 6-10 others.

 

Our back up whale viewing those is we are going halibut fishing in Prince William sound from Whittier on August 31st ..If he finds two other people to fill the minimum quota....and the captain says that it is unusal for them not to see whales because they are so far out. I can't wait and I dont' even like to fish...I am there for the whales :D

 

PS...if anyone in Whittier on Aug 31st and wants to halibut fish w ith us in Prince William Sound at 7am...drop us a line:D