Balcony vs Inside Room?

[morecruise4me]

As you can see, Mary, it is all a matter of opinion. We are generally pretty frugal. We have had a mini suite once and 3 inside cabins. Next we have a balcony booked (it's an 11 night). It depends on the cruise and how much we are willing to spend for the enjoyment of being ALONE on our balcony. We usually spend very little time in our cabin, but given a great balcony, we might just order breakfast in instead of going up to the dining room. Instead of spending the evening up on deck enjoying the breeze and the ocean we can spend it in some privacy on our own deck. On the other hand, insides are cheaper and leave us more money for great excursions and some extras we might not otherwise be able to afford. The point is, sometimes it's worth the splurge and sometimes it's not. Only you can decide which time it is. Our first cruise was for our 25th anniv and we got the mini suite. Our next is our 30th...balcony. Sometimes you just have to have it!

[fullbirdcorporal]

If this is your first cruise, go inside. You may not like cruising, as incredible as that is to contemplate, in which case you have spent the minimum amount to eliminate a vacation possibility. Of course, you may not like cruising after your inside experience because of fear of the dark or claustrophobia (just kidding).

 

Liked first cruise experience?? Then go Oceanview.

 

Coming back for a third cruise?? Go Balcony. My feelings, once you go balcony, you love it enough to never go back.

 

We have never had a suite on a cruise ship. My fear is that once you cruise in a suite, my dear spouse would have 'constructive commentary' if we went back to a 'lesser' cabin.

[trish1c]

I'm among the minority that doesn't care about a balcony. I have sailed inside, ocean view & balcony. Every cruise we had friends staying in the fabulous suites so we got a taste of that too. I need at least a port hole b/c having no natural light is a bit claustrophobic. If the choices are IV vs. staying home, I'll live w/o the light. We've never had great luck with balconies. I can't get the door seal right & the wind whistles keeping me up all night. Some people love sleeping with the door open. I hated it. To me it was like trying to sleep in a convertable -- the wind noise kept me up.

For your 1st cruise, I'd suggest an OV especially if DH has his eye on the bottom line.

[Mary in Maine]

Thank you all for taking the time to respond. I appreciated hearing all the different thoughts and perspectives. Since Princess offered a special rate (the balcony for the outside rate), I went ahead and booked it. I haven't had balcony since about 20 years ago (went with Mom, not husband) so I decided to take the plunge and just do it! I know that I'm going to enjoy it and I'll let you all know it was "worth it."

[Trevoli]

Part of the decision, for me, would depend on where you're going. I don't believe you mentioned that (my apologies if I missed it), and it seems you've already made your decision.

 

For the Caribbean and Mexico, I don't think balconies are necessary. The view coming into port isn't all that great, so I can't imagine wanting to spend that much time outside. Plus, it's hot.

 

For Alaska or Europe...? That's a whole 'nother story. You definitely need a balcony for that.

 

I travel with friends (have never cruised with a sweetheart), so I don't take into consideration any romantic cocktails, balcony breakfasts/dinners, stargazing, or nightcaps. If I did, I'm sure that would sway my decision.

 

Getting a balcony for the OV rate is fabulous. Only problem is.... you'll never be happy with OV again. ; ) Next stop... MINI SUITE!!

[PaperSniper4]

My husband is pretty tight with a dollar and,when you're talking about a Mainer, that is really tight. He doesn't think that a balcony is worth the extra money. I'm looking for opinions about balconies. His argument is that we spend very little time in the room, the balconies are small and have uncomfortable furniture, and the ship is sourrounded by the same view of the ocean up on deck. On our upcoming cruise it would run us an extra $450 for a balcony of a 10-day cruise with Princess. Is it worth it?

 

Nothing is all or nothing. Suggestions:

 

1. Compromise on an ocean view?

2. Purchase a "balcony guaranteed" cabin. You won't be able to pick your cabin, but you typically pay the least expensive balcony rate and might be upgraded. Sometimes, sometimes not.

3. Figure out what is important; the most money will always bring the best cabin (duh!), but the least money doesn't guarantee you an awful time! Balconies are nice, but so are the excursions you otherwise could not afford, or the extra cruise you can work into your budget by going "cheaper".

 

No one here can make that decision for you. Personally, we usually try to get a nice OV, but on occasions we'll book a "balcony guarantee" or pick our balcony cabin, knowing it will cost a premium. On our November cruise we paid for a "balcony guarantee", and were assigned a really good balcony cabin on the Caribe deck (Ruby Princess). Suites are beyond our wants.....at least for now. :eek:

[Newcruiser06]

Interesting thread. We just booked our second cruise. First cruise was in 2006 Panama Canal and we were celebrating our 25th Anniversary so we splurged on a Mini-suite. This time DH had to twist my arm to get me to spend the money - so we're going inside. The very cheapest cabin there is! So I will be able to vote on which I prefer when we get back on December 12th. :)

[Happy ks]

We've cruised in insides, ocean views, balconies and a couple of jr. suites and I have to say...I hesitate to book any lower than a balcony again. Not just for the extra outdoor space but for the air, I can barely breathe in an inside or ocean view :o

 

We spend a huge amount of time on our balcony, coffee in the morning, a glass of wine before leaving for dinner, just to sit out there for a while in our robes before going to bed. Not to mention reading in the afternoon or just gazing out to sea. Yes you can do this in public areas on the ship but not with as much privacy as on your own balcony, it's just not the same.

 

For us the extra $45 a day for a balcony is a no brainer, especially that long of a cruise. If money is a huge issue, I very well understand why people prefer interior cabins, after all you are still going on the same cruise.

 

Value does have a different meaning to all of us and for us a little more luxury has a definite benefit. We find little value in things like souvenirs or gambling but many people spend like crazy on those items and without it they feel as though they don't have a great vacation.

[toberman]

Interesting thread. We just booked our second cruise. First cruise was in 2006 Panama Canal and we were celebrating our 25th Anniversary so we splurged on a Mini-suite. This time DH had to twist my arm to get me to spend the money - so we're going inside. The very cheapest cabin there is! So I will be able to vote on which I prefer when we get back on December 12th. :)

 

On our very first cruise, we were looking at an Ocean view. Our TA called with the price and I told him not to bother telling me the Balcony price. Turned out the Balcony was cheaper than the OV, so we went with it. Now I couldn't do without it. Waking up at 6 am and coming into port is memorable. Getting up in the middle of the night and sitting looking out the ocean is amazing. Having a drink before dinner, having friends in, whatever. I couldn't do without a balcony now.

 

Janette

[cruznjan]

If there are balconies on a ship, I want one.

[History addict]

I always prefer a balcony. Having your own private space is worth paying the extra in my view and personally we spend more time outdoors than we would if we were using public decks.

 

 

 

It is worth considering how port intensive is your cruise and how much time will you be spending ashore? If you will hardly be on the ship then a balcony is less cost effective.

 

A compromise we use if we know we will be spending long days ashore is to get an outside cabin close to where there is access to an open deck so that we can pop outt easier if we feel like some fresh air.

 

A junior suite is nice if the weather may be bad (perhaps a little out of season which is when we've booked them previously) as you will have a comfortable seating area with floor to ceiling windows to enjoy the view. Otherwise I personally don't think it is worth the extra money above and beyond the cost of a standard balcony cabin.

 

I'm afraid I can't comment on inside cabins as I don't think I would like the lack of connection with the outside and the sea so I've never tried one

 

Cabin choice is very much a personal choice depending on how much time you spend in your cabin and how much time you spend ashore or enjoying the rest of the ship's facilities. We typically spend half a day ashore in each port and do not sunbathe so a balcony is an ideal place to idle away an afternoon whilst watching all the activity in the ports and sipping a chilled glass of wine.

[wannacruisemore]

I would always opt for a balcony/veranda. There's nothing better than to wake up in the morning, throw on the bathrobe and stand on your balcony smelling the air and sipping your first cup of coffee.

 

Then have your pre-dinner cocktail on your balcony holding hands with your sweetie. :)

 

Then having a nightcap or hot chocolate in your jammies saying goodnight to the ocean.

 

The furniture is very comfortable, at least it was on our ship. We had a table with wicker chairs and 2 chairs with ottomans.

 

I would feel too claustrophobic without a balcony.

Wow.....I couldn't have said it better!!!! My thoughts exactly.....:)

[barante]

We have been on ten cruises so far, all but one in balconies or oceanviews. Last October, we had a balcony on a cruise from Venice to Fort Lauderdale. It was great but no essential in any way for our enjoyment. In February, we sailed from Fort Lauderdale to Buenos Aires in an inside. We will go to the Caribbean later this month, again an inside. And we have a cruise booked for January, another inside.

Can we afford balconies? Yes. Do we need them? No. We are retirees who have seen more of the world than most anyone on this board, having lived both in apartheid South Africa and communist Soviet Union. We have a pretty good idea about traveling and what goes on in the world.

We are far more concerned about the size of the cabin than the class. We understand everyone who needs a balcony to smell the sea air, etc. After all our globetrotting we have a pretty good idea and we let our imagination work.

To those who disagree, more power to you. Be happy.

Edited August 9, 2009 by barante

[John'sGirl]

My husband is pretty tight with a dollar and,when you're talking about a Mainer, that is really tight. He doesn't think that a balcony is worth the extra money. I'm looking for opinions about balconies. His argument is that we spend very little time in the room, the balconies are small and have uncomfortable furniture, and the ship is sourrounded by the same view of the ocean up on deck. On our upcoming cruise it would run us an extra $450 for a balcony of a 10-day cruise with Princess. Is it worth it?

 

We have done all rooms but a suite. We don't think we could ever go back to an inside room unless it meant we couldn't afford to go otherwise. We used it a lot. I loved the pictures someone sent you. The views are spectacular. Late at night we love to sit out there before going to sleep. Some people like to leave the door open to listen to the ocean. We don't at night but some do. I would give up something else rather than the balcony.

 

Enjoy!

[KBS1607]

We just returned from a cruise with extended family. DH and I used our balcony a lot. DD, 21 and my niece only went out on theirs when they were trying to get our attention and we couldn't hear them at the door. DD and niece want to do a RCCL and have a window overlooking the promenade.

[Happy ks]

We have been on ten cruises so far, all but one in balconies or oceanviews. Last October, we had a balcony on a cruise from Venice to Fort Lauderdale. It was great but no essential in any way for our enjoyment. In February, we sailed from Fort Lauderdale to Buenos Aires in an inside. We will go to the Caribbean later this month, again an inside. And we have a cruise booked for January, another inside.

Can we afford balconies? Yes. Do we need them? No. We are retirees who have seen more of the world than most anyone on this board, having lived both in apartheid South Africa and communist Soviet Union. We have a pretty good idea about traveling and what goes on in the world.

We are far more concerned about the size of the cabin than the class. We understand everyone who needs a balcony to smell the sea air, etc. After all our globetrotting we have a pretty good idea and we let our imagination work.

To those who disagree, more power to you. Be happy.

 

 

I understand your post completely. If an inside cabin works for you that is great, you probably save a lot, cruising that way. Given that our vacation time is limited now we prefer the balcony for the extra luxury.

 

Value is different for all of us and we appreciate the value of the balcony. For us, since achieving a higher status on RCI, we are more able to afford the balcony over the OV cabins. Sometimes a balcony cabin is the same cost as an OV for us now.

 

But...I do have to say that if you upgrade the ship rather than the balcony a more upscale inside cabin would be desireable for us. We look forward to trying other lines in the future, more upscale than RCI and we will more than likely book the insides rather than balconies at that point.

[Leafpeeper]

My husband is pretty tight with a dollar and,when you're talking about a Mainer, that is really tight. He doesn't think that a balcony is worth the extra money. I'm looking for opinions about balconies. His argument is that we spend very little time in the room, the balconies are small and have uncomfortable furniture, and the ship is sourrounded by the same view of the ocean up on deck. On our upcoming cruise it would run us an extra $450 for a balcony of a 10-day cruise with Princess. Is it worth it?

 

We don't mind inside cabins on short cruises where we are in a port every day. However, we usually will splurge for the balcony on cruises over a week long--especially when we cruise from NY to the caribbean and have 2 sea days each way.

 

It is true that some people don't spend much time in their cabin, so I can understand why they would opt for an inside. We do enjoy our balcony when we have multiple sea days. We have breakfast and dinner on our balcony quite often and enjoy the peace and quiet over the noise at the pool deck.

[Leafpeeper]

You've given me lots to think about. It is just me and my husband, no kids with us. I like the idea of checking out the room size balconies . . . that would make a difference! We can afford the extra money but we would normally opt to spend it on excursions, the spa, the specialty restaurants. We just believe in moderation. My husband is more of a believer in "making do" and I am more likely to splurge. I think I will do a little bit more research about size and location.

 

THanks for your opinions and ideas!:)

 

If this was my only vacation for the year, I would go for the balcony.

[chipmaster]

My husband is pretty tight with a dollar and,when you're talking about a Mainer, that is really tight. He doesn't think that a balcony is worth the extra money. I'm looking for opinions about balconies. His argument is that we spend very little time in the room, the balconies are small and have uncomfortable furniture, and the ship is sourrounded by the same view of the ocean up on deck. On our upcoming cruise it would run us an extra $450 for a balcony of a 10-day cruise with Princess. Is it worth it?

 

Only you can decide, personally we don't spend much time in the rooms. For some that quiet extra sqaure feet looking over the ocean is worth any price and is what cruising with a bit of luxury means. For others like us it ain't worth much at all we have spent so little time in our cabins that it matters no. We have never defined "luxury" or the quality by the view thru the window. For us it isn't a matter of what you can afford, but about what you can do with the additional money that is of far more value. For us it would be a no brainer 450/person times 5 or 6 people adds up to a lot of other fun that no balcony can compare, but that is us.

Edited August 10, 2009 by chipmaster

[cruiserbryce]

as you can see from the responses...preferences range quite a bit. For us a balcony is not necassary and cruising inside is one of the easiest ways to stick to some kind of budget. Our next cruise is a balcony and out of the 10 we have taken we have done a balcony twice...the extra isnt always worth it...a lot of our decision is vbased on cost...$450 extra seems pretty good though

[TMLAalum]

One advantage of having a balcony that I haven't seen mentioned is being able to stumble out of bed at first light, grab the camera and get incredible sunrise fotos without having to worry about how you are dressed!

[Cuizer2]

One advantage of having a balcony that I haven't seen mentioned is being able to stumble out of bed at first light, grab the camera and get incredible sunrise fotos without having to worry about how you are dressed!

Only if you have a west facing balcony.

[eggypann]

You're not likely to get a sunRISE photo if you're facing WEST!:p

[tomsuelaw]

I'm an inside girl thru and thru. One of my lady friends is a "twice a year princess" cruiser and she too only books inside rooms. I like dark and cheap. I have had an ocean view and inside room before and I will never book an oceanview again if it means more money. Besides, if you pick the right ship at the right time, you won't have a problem finding cmfortable public places to lounge with great views. Another reason to avoid blaconys is that I hear once you get one, you get spoiled and never want to go back to inside rooms...that is not a risk I am willing to take because the cheaper the vaca the more I can travel :)

[leeanninfla]

If I am paying for the cruise, I am in a balcony, if the cruise is a reward, then I have what I get.

I prefer the balcony, 1 so that I can hear the ocean while I am sleeping. Nature's own white noise at its best. 2. Gives me a place to watch the world as we sail past it, and not have to share the space with all the other people on deck that booked inside or oceanviews. 3. Can't join the balcony club if your not in a balcony room.