How much time per day do you use your balcony - poll

Another thing I’ll say about a balcony....on the downside of them, you don’t have any privacy, everything you say or your neighbors say, is heard.

Right, but on a stern balcony, the sound tends to go aft.

Quite a bit -- coffee in the morning, read & relax with a glass of wine in the late afternoon (while DH gets his Fox News fix) & in the evening just to enjoy the views & the sound of the ocean. We had a Gala Night dinner on the balcony on 1 cruise - that was nice! Get a kick out of watching pier runners! We haven't caught too many dockings but have watched several sailaways.

Have never not had a balcony so not sure how we would do without one.

Well on our Cruise 2 weeks ago we had an angled balcony with a lounger on the NCL Escape and I was out there a lot. We had breakfast out there. I would go out there for 2-4 hours every afternoon while DH chilled in our cold room. We would go out there for a while at night before going to bed. Next week we will be on Carnival Fantasy in a Port Hole room...I think I'm really going to miss that balcony.

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Last time I looked the Fun Shops offered Baileys online. You ccan order a bottle for your room before you even start your cruise.

 

 

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Yes, when we went on the Liberty in 2013, we were able to order Baileys, but since then, I've never found it in the Fun Shops online where you could get it for your room. Now, we buy Baileys, but they always keep it stored away until the end of the cruise. Does anyone have a solution? Do any ships sell Baileys that you can get in the room? It's a perfect nighttime drink on the balcony.

For my tree previous cruises , the time spend was limited, my evaluation is approximately 1 hour max per day. That's why we booked an inside cabin because the price difference couldn't justify a balcony.

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We have usually booked an inside cabin and been perfectly satisfied with them. We did have a balcony for a Med cruise but were not able to use it as much as we hoped. We are going to try again (Southampton to east coast of Canada and back in 2019) but if we do not use it much I will have to accept OH's argument that it is not worth the extra cost.

Coffee in the AM and we'll sit out there on occasion whilst getting ready for the evening. Not much more. What we prefer most is not necessarily the balcony, but the "wall of glass" that balcony cabins have.

Coffee in the AM and we'll sit out there on occasion whilst getting ready for the evening. Not much more. What we prefer most is not necessarily the balcony, but the "wall of glass" that balcony cabins have.

Great description....and you are right, I do find myself often looking out that 'wall of glass' without necessarily stepping onto the balcony itself.

For my tree previous cruises , the time spend was limited, my evaluation is approximately 1 hour max per day. That's why we booked an inside cabin because the price difference couldn't justify a balcony.

 

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If you can take two cruises inside for the price of one outside or close, that is the way to go. The pool side areas on cruise ships are beautiful and only go to the cabin to sleep, bathe and change.

If you can take two cruises inside for the price of one outside or close, that is the way to go. The pool side areas on cruise ships are beautiful and only go to the cabin to sleep, bathe and change.

Everyone has different opinions on why they choose a cabin type.....I can say this being in a interior cabin will never happen for us....having no window even to look out of or for light to come in from, would not be for us.

Everyone has different opinions on why they choose a cabin type.....I can say this being in a interior cabin will never happen for us....having no window even to look out of or for light to come in from, would not be for us.

You’re absolutely right. Everyone has their own preferences.We require a handicap room because my wife uses a wheelchair. There was no inside room available so we took one with a picture window. We were three days into the cruise before we even bothered to open the drapes. To us size matters, not windows.

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You’re absolutely right. Everyone has their own preferences.We require a handicap room because my wife uses a wheelchair. There was no inside room available so we took one with a picture window. We were three days into the cruise before we even bothered to open the drapes. To us size matters, not windows.

 

 

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Size in a cabin matters to us as well....and the interior cabins are the smallest on a ship. We sailed on Empress and originally chose a window cabin, but then upgraded to a JS (which on Empress is what cabin class is the start of cabins with balconies), because of cabin size. Even when we were considering a window cabin only, there were only a handful that gave us a little bit more cabin square footage that we would book.

Costs do vary and have an impact of what accommodations anyone chooses, but my accommodations do have a big impact on my enjoyment and I will spend a little more for what I want. To us, it is not a matter of 'if we only booked inside cabins we could cruise more'.

We loved the balcony. We had 3 other couples with us and our staterooms were right next to each other in a row. We had the partition pulled back so we were able to walk freely back and forth. It's a nice extension to your room. We had champagne and wine almost every night out there before dinner. It's also nice if you just want to get away from it all and read a book. One day there were dolphins swimming right near the ship, another day we watched a thunderstorm. I don't think I'll ever go back to an inside stateroom.

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In the South Pacific we used our balcony every day, especially when going in and out of ports. We preferred this to going up to the observation decks and this was an easy transition to get dressed/ready for dinner in the MDR in the evening. Even during sea days it was nice to open the balcony door for a bit to get some fresh air into the cabin. Definitely difficult to consider staying in anything less than a balcony.

I would say several hours. I go out there with coffee and a book in the morning while Hubby sleeps in then we are out there when we arrive/depart each port. Again in the afternoon just to stare at the sea and then again at night just to wind down.

Order room service for breakfast and sit outside 20 minutes before we start our day. Again after shore excursion having happy hour prior to dinner and reading a great book. DH loves Saxophone so listen to all the music he's downloaded. Again at night before bed. Sheer Bliss!

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In the South Pacific we used our balcony every day, especially when going in and out of ports. We preferred this to going up to the observation decks and this was an easy transition to get dressed/ready for dinner in the MDR in the evening. Even during sea days it was nice to open the balcony door for a bit to get some fresh air into the cabin. Definitely difficult to consider staying in anything less than a balcony.

On Allure and Harmony we had balconies but they were facing the neighborhood and it was nice to sit on the balcony and watch the people below. On Harmony our balcony was near the Aqua Theater and we watched the show from it, which was nice.

On other ships when we have an oceanview balcony, it is nice to enjoy a drink or quiet time after excursions before dinner. If we are lucky and we have a portside view then watching the last arrivers running to get onboard before the ship leaves them behind is an interesting activity.

Two cruises ago on Oasis we spent much time out there people watching, watching the aqua show and watching the football games on the big screen. Last cruise on Adventure of the seas we had an aft balcony, our first one, and really enjoyed leaving the islands and seeing them disappear. Plus we had a lounger so that made it better yet.

On Allure and Harmony we had balconies but they were facing the neighborhood and it was nice to sit on the balcony and watch the people below. On Harmony our balcony was near the Aqua Theater and we watched the show from it, which was nice.

 

 

 

On other ships when we have an oceanview balcony, it is nice to enjoy a drink or quiet time after excursions before dinner. If we are lucky and we have a portside view then watching the last arrivers running to get onboard before the ship leaves them behind is an interesting activity.

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Every day! I love the sound of the ocean. I sit there in the afternoon to get a break from people (including my husband). I sit there again in the evening before bed to relax. I use it quite a bit.

Just curious, how much do you use your balcony on a cruise; and is it significantly more on sea day versus port day, morning versus night, do you use it every day or just some days?

On sea days: coffee in the morning, a couple hours in afternoon

On port days: hardly at all

We never book a balcony. We were upgraded once, and accepted an upsell once

My first cruise was on Millennium (The only one on which I had a balcony) and there was a table but it was quite small - just enough for 2 cups of coffee.

 

 

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That’s what I seem to remember

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I couldn't say that I spend a lot of time on the balcony, but the times I spend there are among my favorite times during the cruise. They are genuine cruise moments.

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Size in a cabin matters to us as well....and the interior cabins are the smallest on a ship.

This isn't true for every line. HAL, for example, has some large inside cabins. And at least two other lines I've sailed have inside cabins that are the same size as standard balcony cabins (minus the balcony square footage, of course).

Just curious, how much do you use your balcony on a cruise; and is it significantly more on sea day versus port day, morning versus night, do you use it every day or just some days?

Every day and every night and enjoy every minute of it.

There is nothing better to watch the sunrise at sea - which cannot be properly done through a small window. Then, coffee on a sunny balcony is a good way to start the day. A mid-morning doze ( hopefully catching some rays) is a good use for a balcony, An afternoon glass of wine, listening to the sea. Checking the night sky for stars, or looking down the path of light from the rising moon.

There are many uses for a balcony.