Talk to me about balconies - Carnival Pride

So we're ready to give Carnival a try. We'd like to book a 7 day on Pride. We've never had a balcony cabin before but we would like one for this cruise. Any tips/suggestions that you can give me would be much appreciated! There are so many category types that I'm a bit overwhelmed. We're traveling with another couple and we'd love to have side-by-side cabins where we can have the divider removed to make one larger balcony. Is that an "extended balcony"?

Okay Pride experts -- share your knowledge!

Thanks so much!

You don't need an extended balcony to get the dividers removed, just adjoining ones. We have had partially obstructed balconies and had multiple dividers opened up when we were traveling with a group on the Pride, and regular balconies when we were traveling with friends (Miracle- a sister ship to the Pride) , and were also able to get the dividers opened. There may be some balconies where the dividers DON"T open, and perhaps your TA can tell you which they are. good luck, you'll love your trip.

The ultimate might be one of you book an aft-wrap and one of you book the cabin next door and then if they can open the partions the balconly would be larger than anything you have seen on a ship. DH and I are set to take our 2nd cruise on the Pride in Oct 2011 and have an aft-wrap suite booked again as we had one on the Miracle earlier this year and were just totally overwhelmed. They are sister ships. Extended balcony refers to the balcony door to railing. You could fit a lounger on an extended balcony door to railing, but on a regular balcony, maybe if there is one available it would have to be turned sideways, that's in a regular balcony cabin.

Check out the deck plans so you'll be able to pick cabins you'll be happy with: away from elevators, party decks, or whatever are your preferences. Find out which cabins are available either from the Carnival site, or from one of those online travel sites that have the blinking dots for available cabins.

Sorry, but I'm not sure how to find out if the partitions between the cabin balconies open. Never needed that option.

Be sure to read about the pricing categories so you're not dissapointed later on if the price goes down or if you need to cancel.

Good Luck and happy sailing.

7258 - I willl try to book this every time I sail on a Spirit class ship after this. Same price as an extended balcony but the size of three full extended ones. The pics don't even come close to showing how large it really was - I couldn't get the whole balcony in the frame.

WOW, now that's a balcony!! What location would I find something like that on the ship?

Thank you all for the great info !! I don't know what I fret about finding the "right cabin" -- it's a cruise, after all !

Is that a premium balcony or an extended ?

We have a regular aft balcony for this upcoming cruise but am wondering the category for yours ?

We just had three aft obstructed balconies on deck 5 for our 6/20 Pride sailing. They served their purpose for a much lower price. There are lifeboats level with the balcony floor so your view down is obstructed but no problem looking straight ahead. The forward obstructed cabins are higher tenders and are much more obstructed. We don't use the balcony that much but it's nice to have and these are not too $$$.......Location on deck 5 aft was perfect and there is less motion aft than forward....I believe it was category 7A.....Marty

Is that a premium balcony or an extended ?

We have a regular aft balcony for this upcoming cruise but am wondering the category for yours ?

No, not a premium, just a regular extended. 8J or 8k I think? There are only three of these one the ship and some are 3 or 4 person rooms where 7258 is for two. If it's not already booked, a lot of times you can get in on the past guest sales where they are upgrading to extended balconies. We got lucky, we were already booked in a regular balcony, prices dropped right after I booked AND they started offering the upgrade to extended deal. I knew since we were already within final payment that I couldn't do anything about the price, but when I realized this particular room still showed open on the website I called my PVP and begged. :D

The room is on deck 7 aft. Standard cabin inside, just with the huge balcony. I was worried about noise from the elevators or the steward closet next door and had no issues at all. Very quiet location. Only thing I ever heard in the cabin was occasional faint ice dropping in the steward's ice machine from the bathroom. But could never hear anything at all in the room.

The cabins on the Pride that have that long balcony are:

Deck 5 obstructed-#5236

#5238-handicap cabin

Deck 6 # 6232

#6234-handicap

Deck 7 #7258

#7260 handicap

Deck 8 #8232

#8234 handicap

We have 6232 in december can't wait!!!!!!

Are there any balcony categories that I should avoid? I understand the obstructed balconies, but other than that what categories should I avoid -- and what categories are your favorites?

Thanks again to everyone!!!!

Are there any balcony categories that I should avoid? I understand the obstructed balconies, but other than that what categories should I avoid -- and what categories are your favorites?

 

Thanks again to everyone!!!!

Look at what's above and below you. Under the pools, or lido buffet could be noisy. I've been far forward under the spa and also between the two main pools and been fine, though. I'd also avoid over the main show lounge. I think it's deck 5 that the balconies are very narrow as well? Much narrower than a usual balcony.

I think it's deck 5 that the balconies are very narrow as well? Much narrower than a usual balcony.

Oh no! I have a balcony on deck 5. Should we avoid that? When you say narrow... just how narrow?

we had an extended balcony deck 7 for our first cruise on the Pride. dont forget that if you do get adjoining balconies to the purser's desk as soon as you board to ask them to open the door between the balconies. I read that they only open a certain amount

Michelle, what was your cabin number on Pride? The balcony looks like a nice size. Hubby sure looks happy and relaxed in that pic! Thanks so much!

Are there any balcony categories that I should avoid? I understand the obstructed balconies, but other than that what categories should I avoid -- and what categories are your favorites?

 

Thanks again to everyone!!!!

We booked cabin #5236 for our Jan/11 Pride cruise. It has a triple length balcony

but is quite narrow. In all honesty it kind of looks like a bowling alley in the on-line pictures I have been.

Oh no! I have a balcony on deck 5. Should we avoid that? When you say narrow... just how narrow?

Check out the deck plans. The deck 5 rooms where the lifeboats are (what are extended balconies on decks above) are very narrow. The others seem to be normal size. Regular balconies are about 3 1/2 feet deep, the extended ones are close to 6 feet deep. Those deck 5 ones are even less than the 3 1/2 feet.

Check out the deck plans. The deck 5 rooms where the lifeboats are (what are extended balconies on decks above) are very narrow. The others seem to be normal size. Regular balconies are about 3 1/2 feet deep, the extended ones are close to 6 feet deep. Those deck 5 ones are even less than the 3 1/2 feet.

Okay, we have an 8B in the back of the ship. No lifeboats in front of us. So, I think we'll be okay. Although we are thinking about going to an 8C to be midship. I LOVE that big balcony in the pics in this thread. Would love to have that one. But for $200 more I am not that worried about it.

The cabins on the Pride that have that long balcony are:

 

Deck 5 obstructed-#5236

#5238-handicap cabin

 

Deck 6 # 6232

#6234-handicap

 

Deck 7 #7258

#7260 handicap

 

 

Deck 8 #8232

#8234 handicap

 

 

 

We have 6232 in december can't wait!!!!!!

We wee in 6232 a couple of years ago. Were kind of sweating it out because it was just the two of us and said that they might move us if a party of four wanted the room. Well, let me tell you, if they did move us after we nabbed that little treasure, they would have had no rest in that room. Just kidding! That balcony was so fabulous, though. We made friends with the couple in 6234 and between the four of us, our balonies were about half the length of the ship. Again...just kidding but it was really amazing. We sat out there with our newly made friends and had nachos and cocktails on our balcony while whale watching. Too fun, all the way around.

So, no kidding here...that balcony was amazing. We will be sailing on the Spirit again...what a fabulous ship....but that balcony...well, what can I say?? You probably could have played shuffleboard out there. We booked on this ship again for the spring....another extended balcony. Just have to see if we get bumped. I won't be real happy if we do, but it is the chance we take. They won't bump us down....just up....so will keep our fingers crossed. Would rather stay in the room we chose instead of being bumped up to a better (?) category with a smaller balcony. I love lounging out on my balcony...that is one of my favorite things about cruising...just sitting out on the balcony watching for something popping out of the water.

You will love 6232...great room... best balcony. Too bad that Shawn, the cruise director we had on our last cruise on the Spirit, had moved or decided to take a respite. She was great....hopefully she is back or will be coming back to the Spirit!